Cellar V - Guiseley

...good menu.

Cellar V has all these, in droves.

We usually go to Cellar V on a Tuesday night, usually about once a month, as our friend lives just down the road, and we get to visit with him at the same time. It's also the night of Jim's Quirky Quiz (his words, not mine), which I'll talk about later on. Every time we are never disappointed with the food we've ordered, and we are always made to feel special by the personal ...
...ATMOSPHERE LIKE?

Cellar V is called a wine bar, but I think this does it an injustice, as it makes it sound flashier and more pretentious than it is in reality. It's not like other pubs that serve food, though, as they do not allow anyone in who is under 18. We usually go in the evening, but the times I have been during the day, this really makes it stand out from other places, like Brewer's Fayre for example.

It's actually ... more

As you may have noticed, I enjoy eating (surprise, surprise), but there's no form of eating I enjoy more than eating out. There's something so special about going out of your house to eat a meal that you haven't had to cook yourself, especially if you've got good company, surroundings, service and most importantly a good menu.

Cellar V has all these, in droves.

We usually go to Cellar V on a Tuesday night, usually about once a month, as our friend lives just down the road, and we get to visit with him at the same time. It's also the night of Jim's Quirky Quiz (his words, not mine), which I'll talk about later on. Every time we are never disappointed with the food we've ordered, and we are always made to feel special by the personal attention we receive.

For this review, I've tried to focus first on the important things I always consider when deciding whether to eat somewhere, and then at the end I've listed all the 'information' you might need.

WHAT SORT OF PLACE IS IT, AND WHAT'S THE ATMOSPHERE LIKE?

Cellar V is called a wine bar, but I think this does it an injustice, as it makes it sound flashier and more pretentious than it is in reality. It's not like other pubs that serve food, though, as they do not allow anyone in who is under 18. We usually go in the evening, but the times I have been during the day, this really makes it stand out from other places, like Brewer's Fayre for example.

It's actually a chicly decorated, modern looking café style bar, with lots of metallic seating inside and out. I personally wouldn't want to sit outside, as it can be busy due to shoppers going to Morrissons, skateboarders doing tricks, and teenagers hanging around before signing on at the Job centre next door.

The atmosphere is always friendly, and always has been - it's not just because they see us there a lot. I remember the first time we went, they treated us like special guests, and couldn't do enough for us. One could argue that this is due to both my husband and my friend being wheelchair users, but they are pleasant and welcoming to everyone, and there is no evidence of cliques. In fact, it's so relaxed, they've even provided two huge, plumped up sofas to sit on.

WHAT SORT OF FOOD DO THEY SERVE?

They serve a mixture of different styles of food, ranging from heavy 'pub grub', to light bites and snacks. As well as the usual starters, main meals and desserts, they also serve a brunch range, light snacks and sandwiches and even foods for whilst browsing the menu.

For brunch you could choose salmon and scrambled egg, or be a devil and order a bacon sandwich. Later in the day, you might decide to choose a sandwich (all served with salad and crisps), or a wrap, baked in the oven and smothered with cheese. If you were feeling more adventurous, you might decide to opt for a 'lite bite', such as soup and a baguette, or potato skins.

If you go in the evening, you might choose to share the famous Cellar V platter with your friends - this is an immense plate loaded to bursting with chicken wings, curly fries, breaded mushrooms and a selection of dips. Alternatively you could choose some chips or bread with dips whilst you decide on the rest of your meal.

The starters are all fairly fat laden, with the aforementioned platter selections, or a variety of potato skins filled with cheese or meat, or both! Cellar V are famous for their burgers, and rightly so, with a choice of five different toppings. You can have some hearty sausage and mash, or go for a simple salad.

The specials board, unlike other restaurants, is constantly changing. This is the place to look if you fancy something more interesting, like 'surf and turf' or the range of 'sizzlers'. It's also where they advertise their salad and pasta dishes - these deviate from the norm, and can include warm oriental salads, and freshly made pasta in various shapes.

The dessert menu is full of faithful standbys, such as chocolate fudge cake, tiramisu and Pavlova, but they do tend to include seasonal puddings, such as pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, and Christmas pudding in December.

Most meals come with side orders already, but you can choose others to pad them out, including garlic bread, curly or regular fries, or a side salad if you were feeling good.

If you're vegetarian, you might be disappointed at the selection they have for you. There are only three meals on the main menu, one of which has been discontinued - you're left with ratatouille and garlic bread, or vegetable stir-fry with rice. You might strike it lucky with one of the specials, but it's really a sorry selection, and the only gripe I have about this place.

ARE THEY LICENSED?

They certainly are - they have a well stocked bar, serving everything from shooters through beer and wine, to ten different sorts of coffee. If you ask for a sort of spirit, nine times out of ten they have, and the time they don't, they've probably just run out.

WHAT IS THE FOOD LIKE?

Everyone has their favourite meals when they go to a restaurant regularly, and I am no exception. I'm going to talk about the three best things I've ever eaten here, as it would be impossible to tell you about all of them!

The thing I have eaten more than anything else is their burgers. They are truly enormous, about 2 inches thick, and the diameter of a CD! They come in a bun with lettuce, tomato, and whatever topping you like (I like cheese and onions) with a massive side salad and a pile of home made chips. They are always succulent, meaty and cooked to perfection. The chips are always cooked properly, and are never cold or greasy.

I also enjoy their pasta on a regular basis, the best of which is their lasagne. The meat sauce is rich, and I like the way they don't overdo the béchamel sauce - I like my lasagne to taste of tomatoes, not cream. This is also a large meal, and I like to order garlic bread on the side to mop up the lovely juices left in the dish.

The last time we went, I decided to try a salad, due to me being on the Weight Watchers plan. I went for a warm oriental salad, with chicken and king prawns in a chilli sauce. I'm not really a big salad fan, but I thought this was delicious, and more filling than I expected. The chilli sauce is the same one they use on their 'Prawn sizzler', and is sweet yet very spicy.

The worst thing I've ever eaten was the tortilla wrap. The first time I had it, it was a cold tortilla, filled with tuna and mayonnaise, and served with some curly fries, which was delicious. However, when I ordered it again, it was now baked in a dish, burrito style, and covered in a mound of melted cheese. It was sickeningly rich, and just too much.

IS THE SERVICE GOOD?

Whenever we have been, they always come to our table and take our order, not just for our food, but also for our drinks all night. This doesn't seem to be just because two of our party are wheelchair users, as I often notice them serving other tables in this manner all night as well. This reminded me of bars in America, and I really like this style. It makes me a lot more likely to leave a large tip, as you really feel looked after. They also have people serving behind the bar, and every time I've ordered drinks there, they are always quick and efficient.

The food is made to order, and yet usually arrives within 20 minutes of ordering, often sooner. The kitchen seems to be tightly organised, and efficient, just like the rest of the bar.

In being fast and efficient, the service doesn't forego its friendliness. We know most of the staff by first name, and they always call us by our names, despite there being many regular customers. It's touches like this that make this place feel so welcoming, and why we return time and time again.

WHAT OTHER EVENTS DO THEY HOST?

As I mentioned before, they have a music quiz on a Tuesday night hosted by 'Quirky Jim' who is less irritating than his name might suggest! This is usually our reason for trekking to Guiseley, but we have been on nights when there hasn't been a quiz, and enjoyed ourselves just as much. Our friend regularly goes to watch the football on the big screen television, and during the Rugby World Cup last year, they hosted breakfast sessions so people could watch it and eat before work.

They also have live bands on, usually on a Saturday. We went one Thursday before Christmas, and there was a popular singer called Edwin Dukes. He regularly sings there, and if we hadn't specifically gone to catch up with an old friend, I'm sure we'd have enjoyed it as much as everyone else there seemed to. Other bands also play there, and they sometimes host events like charity auctions too.

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LOCATION

Cellar V is in Guiseley, about 10 miles outside of Leeds, and quite close to Ilkley. It's very easy to find if you know the area, as it is located right next door to the Morrissons supermarket, and shares the car parking facilities. I couldn't find a map to help you, but it's on the main road through Guiseley, which is the A65. If you're in any doubt, just go to Guiseley and look for a gigantic yellow shop.

OPENING TIMES

Food is served from 10 am to 9 pm every day (except Sunday, when food service begins at 11 am). The bar is open until 11 pm for drinks, and about half an hour after that for drinking up time.

CAR PARKING

The car park people usually use is the Morrissons one - this means that if you come during the day it is difficult to park, but in the evening, it is easy to find a spot.

PRICES

Drink prices are slightly more expensive than in a pub, at about £2.30 a pint, as you might expect. The food is reasonably priced, and we usually pay about £12 a head for drinks and a main course. Starters are priced at about £3, sandwiches cost about £6, other main meals about £8, and desserts are all £2.95. There is a full menu (minus specials) on the website, which includes prices if you'd like to check it before going.

ACCESSIBILITY

There are loads of disabled parking spaces, a ramp up to the door of the bar, and it is fully accessible, if a little crowded, inside. The disabled toilet is part of the Radar scheme, so remember to take your key (this is because people used to go in there at the weekend).

CONTACT INFORMATION

Telephone; 01943 884411 - for reservations, or to ring through a lunchtime order to save time.

Website - www.cellarv.co.uk

N.B. May I apologise for the poor quality photographs - I forgot to take my camera, so i borrowed images from the website. I may end up updating them at some point.
I'd also like to apologise for, and at the same time defend, the length of this review. I feel everything I have said here is important when trying to decide whether to go somewhere and eat (or drink for that matter). 

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