Timothy Spall, of Auf Wiedersehen and various other films and television programs moored his Princess Matilda while on a tour of England filming Somewhere at Sea.
And of course, he came to Krimo's for lunch.
Elvis is back...
A few weeks after being forced out of the building by smoke and flames, Elvis is back at Portofino.
I searched the web high and low for the exact Elvis cardboard cutout and finally, I found a company which specialises in immortalizing famous people. It arrived this morning and I could not wait a single minute to unwrap him and place him back where he belonged for many years before the fire that occurred at Portofino in early March.
Marilyn Monroe adorned another balcony and, although she is a legend, I feel we may need to ask our customers who they would like to see up there with the King.
The Freshest Pasta Dish Ever...
Spaghetti al Vongole... Now, there is a dish I like!
I washed up at a pizzeria in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and, after watching the Italian chefs prepare this simple yet delicious Mediterranean dish, I often made it for my lunch! Al dente Spaghetti, Clams, Tomato sauce…
But guess what! I bet not many people can boast of having had Spaghetti al Vongole cooked from scratch on the beach!
When I was young, we spent most of our summer holidays at my aunties', uncles' or grandmother's as we lived about 60 km from the sea in the Atlas mountains.
It was not unusual for a dozen kids to sleep in the same room. The added bonus was when Gran lay in the middle telling us ancient fables.
Most days, she took us kids to the beach in the morning till late afternoon.
Our lunch consisted of a few chips and a slice of bread as food was less important than having beach fun. This amazing feast was washed down with a swig of cheap cola. Heaven!
However, Sundays were a different affair as the adults joined the party!
A copious larder was loaded in the boot of the car and off we went.
On our arrival at the beach, the children virtually dived into the sea from the moving cars, while the adults set up camp in a remote corner of the sandy beach. Tattered parasols turned the camp into a tented Saharan village. All we needed was a few camels and goats and we would have looked like nomads.
A grand competition then took place. Buckets at the ready each one of us began collecting clams from the shallows.
The women, in the kitchen part of the “camp” lit a charcoal fire in a terracotta burner and got on with the sauce and the pasta.
This is the recipe:
Heat 3 tbsp. of olive oil
Fry a finely diced onion until soft.
Add 2 finely diced cloves of garlic and fry until soft.
Add one tin of chopped and mashed tomatoes and 1tbsp. of tomato puree.
Add a glassful of water. Nowadays I add a glassful of white wine…Shhhhh!
Bring to the boil and then simmer for about half an hour.
In the meantime boil the spaghetti until al dente. Drain and cool under running water.
The clams need to be washed a few times to get rid of the sand. (Tinned or frozen clams may be used)
When ready to serve, heat the sauce up and add the fresh clams.
Once they are open, add some chopped basil and parsley.
You can either re-heat the spaghetti up in boiling water or just add it to the sauce.
Serve hot with Parmesan! Mmmmmmmm!
On the beach, once the Spaghetti al Vongole was ready, we were summoned to form a circle to wolf down this wonderful dish with thick slices of French bread to mop up the remaining sauce and our lips.
A cool drink and a slice of ice cold watermelon finished this wonderful meal. Ice cold because, on our arrival at the beach, bottles and watermelons were buried deep in the wet sand.
I would give up a gourmet meal at La Tour d’Argent to experience that once more!
Now, can anyone tell me if this isn't as near to heaven as life could really be...
Elvis has left the building...
Many of you may have heard that Portofino was closed for nearly three weeks last month as a result of an accidental fire which occurred in the early hours of Thursday 3rd March. Residual heat in a bucketful of recently washed and dried tea towels resulted in a fire at around 2am. But for the vigilance of the Historic Quay's night watchman, who heard the smoke alarm and saw the flames through the restaurant's kitchen windows, the whole place would have been gutted. Kevin Mason who was doing his usual round immediately called the emergency services which turned up very quickly to put out the fire. Part of the kitchen was gutted with fire but moreover, the entire restaurant was smoke damaged. A great team of craftsmen came to the rescue under the directions of Adam, restaurant manager Elaine and head-chef Noel.
The restaurant reopened on 22nd March less than three weeks after the fire.
All is well that ends well... except for losing Elvis and Marilyn Monroe who adorned our Mediterranean balconies. Two cardboard cutouts bought over 12 years ago in Edinburgh and carried the length of Princes Street under the gaze of bemused passers-by.
Unlike the real Elvis, ours may one day return. Let's hope it is sooner rather than later.
Krimo's Hartlepool Mail Review
Ian Monaghan, a Hartlepool Mail reporter visited Krimo's for the first time and was so impressed that he wrote This Review .
Krimo's January Food Quiz Results
A couple of the questions were quite tricky.
Only 50% of the entrants got all the questions right.
Click on the picture to enlarge it.
If you fancy entering the February Quiz, click HERE
NSPCC CHRISTMAS RAFFLE
The Navigation Point Businesses and Mandale Properties got together in December and organised a Christmas Raffle for the NSPCC by donating meal and drinks vouchers . Over £2100 have so far been raised.
Revellers were very keen to purchase raffle tickets to win a meal here, a bottle of Champagne there as well as help the NSPCC at Christmas and at a time when many charities are seeing their fundraising efforts thwarted by the economic downturn.
It is also refreshing to see businesses usually competing to attract the same clientele, come together for the sake of helping the local branch of the NSPCC.
As well as the Christmas Raffle, three events took place in December and despite the cold weather, a few children accompanied by parents and grandparents came to visit Santa's Grotto and received gifts.
A few members of The Northern School of Music sang Christmas Carols as Chinese Lanterns were let off into the skies over Navigation Point.
Further events are planned in the future to showcase the jewel in Hartlepool's crown, the Marina in general and Navigation Point in particular.
Since its inception in early 2000, the area has blossomed into a very popular leisure hub, with its various restaurants, cafés and bars. The Marina now attracts visitors from all over the North East and beyond.
Navigation Point Part 3
The last Saturday of the Navigation Point Christmas Events may not have been the busiest of the lot but those who attended had great fun.
Santa Claus handed out gifts to eager children while a few young members of the Northern School of Music provided a delightful rendition of the most popular Christmas carols.
Later, thanks to a windless evening, everyone present partook in the setting off of large Chinese lanterns. At one time, the skies above the Marina were filled with floating flickering lights.
The NSPCC Christmas Raffle is going great guns. All the Navigation Point businesses will be selling tickets until New Year's Eve. So far, our three restaurants alone have raised around £1200. Let's hope everyone else has had as much success as we have.
Best Christmas Wishes from Navigation Point...
Rice, tomato and smoked haddock...
A very simple and quick dish.
Ingredients:
1lb. fresh smoked haddock cut into chunks
1 onion, finely sliced
1 carrot, julienne
1 handful of green beans cut into tiny bits or 1 handful of peas.
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1tbsp chopped parsley
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped.
4 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
parsley
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 pint tomato passata
1/2 pint water
1/2 Basmati rice
Method:
Fry the onion until soft.
Add the rice and turmeric and fry for 2 minutes
Add the rest of the vegetables.
Add the tomato and water.
Cook for 15 minutes then place the haddock carefully on top of the rice.
Simmer until the rice is cooked but still al dente.
Serve with a wedge of lemon
Bon appetit! 
Navigation Point Christmas Event Part Two
Despite the extreme cold, the second of Navigation Point Christmas Events saw the lighting of Chinese lanterns from the Marina office and more kids visiting Santa's Grotto.
Christmas music, a cup-and-saucer children's ride and a van providing fairground games helped create a jolly festive atmosphere.
Next Saturday, 18th December, the Northern School of Music will provide the entertainment with a Christmas Choir.
Santa will still be in his Grotto dishing out presents to children.
More Chinese lanterns will be set off from the Marina.
Come along and have a fun-filled evening from 5pm till 7pm...
Navigation Point Christmas Event
The first one of Navigation Point's Christmas Events went off with a bang.
At 5.30 Santa arrived on the Marina boat Adventure and followed by two elves he proceeded to his grotto situated in the car park next to a 30ft Christmas tree kindly donated by Mandale Properties.
Under the sound of festive tunes provided by Daniel Brobbel, an orderly queue of thirty to forty children formed in front of the Grotto. For £1 the children got to meet Santa and receive a present while the parents had their names entered in the NSPCC raffle organised by the Navigation Point Business Group, one of the prizes being a boat trip in the New Year.
The Mayor, Mr. Stuart Drummond arrived at 6pm to switch on the Christmas tree lights to loud cheers from the attendance.
Boat rides, walk-on-water and a cup-and-saucer ride provided further entertainment.
Some of the restaurants and bars joined in the fun, by selling such things as banana fritters, mulled wine, mince pies, roast chestnuts and hot chocolate laced with brandy to warm up the visitors.
Each business has pledged a prize towards the NSPCC raffle and so far, over £400 has been raised.
It is certainly heartwarming to see that despite the snowy conditions and very adverse financial crisis, Navigation Point businesses are coming together to help the NSPCC as well promote Hartlepool Marina.
Saturday 11th between 5pm and 7pm there will be more of the same.
Lucky for some...
Friday, minus 13 degrees at 9.15 am. I cannot recall such a low temperature in Hartlepool.
And the snow keeps falling. The roads are treacherous. Traffic is moving at snail pace.
Although party numbers are dropping like snow flakes, the more adventurous of diners are not deterred by this ideal Christmas weather.
Let's just hope that they keep coming along those worrying crunchy paths...
Krimo's Quiz November Winner
Congratulations to Sally Miller of Peterlee!
She wins a meal for two at Krimo's...
Fancy having a go at December's Food Quiz?
Snow Business...
I love the snow.
I grew up in the Atlas Mountains and every winter without fail, it snowed, so much sometimes, that we could not go to schoool.
I remember those days when my mother made a hearty chickpea and cumin soup spiced up with Harissa and served with her own garlic bread made with beef dripping instead of butter.
Yet, these days snow worries me. It is not good for business. Last year, from 18th December until 10th January, the country nearly stood at a standstill. Our restaurants, along with every single one in the country suffered from cancellations, as customers could not make it through the snow and dangerous roads. Those in the countryside might as well have closed their doors till the end of January.
This year, the snow has reached us a lot earlier. A seventeen-year record, I hear. It has already caused us a lot of damage. Last night, the last Saturday of the month, usually a time when diners come out in their droves, only half braved the weather.
All of the other restaurants and bars along Navigation Point reported a reduced number of customers.
I do love the snow but man can't live by snow alone... especially in these crunch times...
Navigation Point Event
Businesses from Hartlepool's Navigation Point have come together to plan a series of events for December.
The lights on the Christmas tree donated by the landlords, Mandale will be switched on by our Mayor, Stuart Drummond on Saturday 4th December.
The lights on the Christmas tree donated by the landlords, Mandale will be switched on by our Mayor, Stuart Drummond on Saturday 4th December.
Daniel Brobbel from Norteast Sound and Light has promised to provide music and lights for the event.
Alyson Robinson of the eponymous School of Music will be bringing her choir to perform Christmas carols on Saturday 18th December between 5 and 7pm.
There will lots of things for the kids. As well as Santa dishing out presents to them, they will also be able to enjoy a walk on water on terra firma... 
Businesses have donated vouchers for the NSPCC Christmas raffle. 
Email Statistics...
I discovered email marketing two years ago and have been using it ever since. Once a month, I send my e-newsletter to over 2000 customers and the list is growing by the day through sign-ups, quizzes, feedback forms, etc...
There are numerous online companies offering this facilities and the prices they charge vary widely. After a few months of research and comparison, I chose Constant Contact, a US company which delivers exactly what I require: tailor-made emails and clear statistics of how these work.
This enables me to design subsequent messages and advertise our restaurants as well as inform our customers/readers.
Email marketing is simply the natural progression of bulk mail marketing. While households are still bombarded by leaflet campaigns, most will now find their email accounts swamped by spam mail.
It is not a wonder that only a very small proportion of these unsolicited emails are ever read. Even targeted emails produce very low open and click rates. The diagram below shows the stats.
Having said all this, I believe that any restaurant company worth its salt (and pepper) has to "jump on the bandwagon" or be left in the dust.
Memories...
Today, I attended the funeral of someone unforgettable.
When Karen and I opened Krimo's at Seaton Carew on May 4th 1985, I told her that if we got the same customers back within the first two months, we'd cracked it.
Alex Torrance dined with us five times in the first two weeks.
A Scottish bon-viveur who worked and later lived in Hartlepool, Alex knew a great deal about food, wine and good times. A true gentleman, a soft-spoken charmer, he came back countless times in the last twenty five years with family and friends.
When I opened Portofino in 1997, he was the first and only person who asked for an egg on his pizza. He even explained to me and the chef when to place the raw egg in the middle of the pizza so that it was just set when served.
Over the years, I have met many interesting characters who have been part of our saga. Alex was that kind of guy one can never forget.
Rest in peace, my friend.
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