Latest news with #Brightside
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I went to the little-known roadside diner that feels like being in Stranger Things – the food takes you back in time
STEPPING into the diner, a warm glow of burnt oranges, rustic reds and mellow yellows surrounded me, along with 70s-style decor of rattan lampshades with giant globe bulbs. It really did feel like entering the set of Netflix's hit TV show Stranger Things - yet I was actually in a roadside cafe in the UK. 10 10 Brightside in Exeter, Devon, feels like a retro Little Chef, an iconic motorway cafe chain that sadly stopped trading by the end of 2018. Even the toilets at Brightside felt like a fun throwback with avocado-coloured sinks set against a mustard yellow tile backdrop. I often skip past roadside cafes and restaurants for fear that the food will be poor and the prices will be high. But Brightside wasn't like this. The menu features an extensive range of options through morning, noon and night. I opted for the 'Hot Honey Fried Chicken Burger' (£14.95) and my parents opted for the 'Chicken Caesar' pizza (£13.95) and the 'Dirty Brisket Burger' (£16.45). Whilst we may not have had Eggo waffles (made popular by Stranger Things' Eleven), the dishes we did order hit the spot. My chicken burger with honey offered a great twist on normal flavours. And for the brisket burger it was even a winner with my dad who is quite picky when it comes to burgers. The pizza was a good size as well, and really felt value for money. Inside Elon Musk's Tesla diner of the future staffed by ROBOTS with drive-in movie screens & burgers in Cybertruck boxes Along with our food we tried out two of the diner's mocktails - 'Strawberry Smash' and 'Pop Goes Summer'. Both mocktails cost £6 and were made with Ceder's non-alcoholic spirit. Pop Goes Summer had an extra layer of fun, with popping candy around the rim of the glass. As for Strawberry Smash, it was a great mix of strawberry, pineapple and lime. Moving onto dessert, we shared the 'Berry Ice Cream Sandwich' (£6.95) and a 'Banoffee Sundae' (£5.95). The berry ice cream sandwich was essentially a giant profiterole with soft serve ice cream, berries and meringue. 10 10 Both desserts felt like the ultimate childhood throwbacks. It might be just me, but I don't see banoffee desserts around much anymore, so this treat really did transport you back in time. When the bill came I was pleasantly surprised, as all of that came to around £68. The price was less than I had expected thanks to their Thursday offer that lets you buy a dessert for £1 alongside any adult main meal. 10 This wasn't the only great offer the diner had - on Tuesdays, you can buy one pizza get one free after 3pm. And on Wednesdays, kids eat free after 3pm, making it an affordable option for families needing to take a break on the motorway. Outside the diner there is also a brightly coloured seating area, with large parasols so you can get some fresh air too. Dogs are welcome too, and there is plenty to keep the kids entertained with Brightside branded merch to peruse and a number of books available to borrow whilst you sit and eat. Whilst the diner isn't your typical American-style joint, Brightside definitely mixes the best of British 70s/80s culture with retro American diners. I personally think Eleven would love it... as well as everyone else in Hawkins. There are three Brightside diners located across Devon and Cornwall, and a fourth location can be found in Rutland, just under an hour from Leicester. The diner in Exeter was the first location to open, opposite from Exeter Racecourse, back in 2023. There is also a 'Karen attraction' in the UK that Brits can't get enough of. Plus, the best pubs in the UK have been revealed – is your favourite boozer on the list? 10
Eater
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
Mosquito Supper Club Chef Expands With Quaint New Restaurant
is an award-winning food and travel writer living in New Orleans. Her work has appeared in Atlas Obscura, The Local Palate, and the Los Angeles Times. Saint Claire, from chef Melissa Martin, opens in Algiers Point Chef Melissa Martin, best known for her Uptown tasting menu-centric Mosquito Supper Club and a duo of James Beard Award-winning cookbooks, has expanded with the June 26 opening of the country French-themed Saint Claire in Algiers Point. Martin partnered with her friend Cassi Dymond to open Saint Claire. Dymond is co-founder of Maple Street's Satsuma Cafe and co-owner of Kalimera Construction, which specializes in dynamic restaurant build-outs, including Dakar NOLA, the Tell Me Bar, and N7. Located across the river, 15 minutes from the CBD, Saint Claire is situated in a historic 1920s home at the center of a cul-de-sac, surrounded by live oak trees, just steps from the Mississippi River levee. The restored building at 1300 Richland Road was once the medical officer's home on the site of Camp Algiers, an immigration center, and a WWII-era internment camp. Unlike Mosquito Supper Club, Saint Claire doesn't feature a prix fixe menu or communal dining. The opening menu features nods to seasonal vegetables and local seafood, including eggplant fritters with powdered sugar, smoked beets with trout roe, and farmed Brightside oysters from Grand Isle. There's a duck and andouille gumbo, gnocchi with crabmeat in a lemon beurre blanc sauce, and grouper with fried okra. Inside, the space is warm and inviting, with a palette of buttery yellow and soft blues, rustic French antiques, and mismatched porcelain plates and silverware. Candlelight flickers at Saint Claire, the welcoming country mouse to Mosquito Supper Club's city setting. Spicy Mango is now open on Frenchmen Street Larry Morrow, whose goal is to have 'the largest Black-owned restaurant group in the country,' opened Morrow Hospitality's fifth restaurant in New Orleans on July 5. Morrow premiered Spicy Mango, a Creole-Caribbean fusion restaurant on the corner of Frenchmen Street and Esplanade Avenue during Essence Fest. The 200-seat restaurant exudes an island vibe, with its creative use of thatching, a dining room mango tree, and an expansive patio featuring a central fountain. Jordan Lindsey, the company's culinary director, created an irie menu with specialties like jerked chicken, crawfish beignets, and a mango-fueled island salad. Since he and his mother, Lenora Chong, opened their first restaurant, Morrow's, in 2018, the company's portfolio has grown to include Morrow Steak, Monday Restaurant and Bar, Sun Chong, and Spicy Mango, as well as two nightclubs, Hide/Seek and Treehouse. Thaihey has a stall at St. Roch Market Chef Orawin's 'Nim' Yimchalam now has a Thaihey presence at the St. Roch Market. Yimchalam, who operates Thaihey at 308 Decatur Street with her husband Nathan Greene, now serves a menu of not the usual Thai dishes, like nam khoa tod, a crispy rice ball spiced with red curry, Thai herbs, and chunks of salami. The Thai sloppy Joe, a loose meat sandwich on a bun, bright with Thai basil, is a craveable new classic. Her expansion into the St. Roch Market brings her full circle— the chef's first location was at the now-shuttered White Star Market in Baton Rouge. Cajun Flames becomes the second LUFU The short-lived Cajun Flames restaurant from the team behind LUFU in the CBD, is now the Indian restaurant's second location. The Cajun concept didn't fly, opening and closing within a year. Led by chefs Sachin Darade, Aman Kota, and Shan Samantray, the location that was formerly Saint John at 1117 Decatur Street will drill deeper into the regional Indian dishes popular at the original restaurant. LUFU, which stands for Let Us Feed U, opened July 3. Fur Bébe Café is perfect for the dog days of summer Fur Bébe Café is New Orleans's first dog cafe, located at 4826 Magazine Street, Uptown. When it comes to a theme, owner Barrett Cooper is like a dog with a bone. He knows how to create a mood — Cooper operated the atmospheric Double Dealer lounge at the Orpheum. This cafe's theme is ever-present, from the bone-shaped door handle to the menu of dog treats and hilarious AI-generated dog art hung at pooch level. Of course, there's a menu for humans too, a deep coffee program along with doggy named bites like the Corgi Cobb salad and the Catahoula toast topped with blueberry compote, lemon ricotta, and mint. The dog- and family-friendly spot includes a shaded side patio with plans for an off-leash play area in the near future.
Hindustan Times
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Optical illusion: Can you spot the hidden cat among the owls in just 10 seconds?
The optical illusion for today is a riddle that has kept even pro players on the internet scratching their heads. It might appear as a simple task, but you need to pay extra attention and put your critical thinking and analytical abilities to the task to find the answer. The optical illusion challenges viewers to find a hidden gray cat among owls in just five seconds. (Source: Brightside ) More than identifying the missing link, the challenge can reveal a lot about your hidden personality traits. On the internet, this viral illusion has gained significant attention, sparking widespread conversations. Such fun games help people in understanding their core strengths as well as their ability to look beyond the obvious to find solutions to various problems in their lives. Optical illusions are a perfect way to gain significant insights about self-awareness as they question our visual abilities and mental strength. So, let's find out whether you can find the answer to today's challenge. Also Read: Optical illusion: Can you spot the hidden '62' among 26s in just 7 seconds? What is an optical illusion? The cleverly crafted optical illusion showcases several owls in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Among them is a cat hidden somewhere in the image. The task here is to identify the cat within the large group of owls. Looks easy? The challenge is to look for the hidden cat within 10 seconds. At first, the challenge plays on camouflage and perception, since all the owls are looking at you, which makes it even more difficult to look for the hidden cat. Only those with high IQ and observational skills can spot the cat among the owls in 10 seconds. Need a hint? Well, let's make it a bit easier for you. The cat is gray and is placed somewhere in the middle. Also Read: Tom and Jerry brain teaser: Only 1% can spot all 5 differences in 15 seconds The Answer Those who have been able to identify the hidden cat within the required time certainly are eagle-eyed and pay extra attention to the job in hand. But if you were unable to find it, then there's no need to worry. There are several others. So, let's see where the cat is actually placed in the image. Here is where the cat was hiding. Did you get it right?(Source: Brightside) Now, share this optical illusion test with your friends and family members and check how many of them can find the hidden cat in five seconds. FAQs 1. Do you see real things in an optical illusion? Optical illusions are crafted in a way that they play tricks with human brains and eyes, making people see things that may or may not be real. 2. How do optical illusions trick the eyes? These can trick us because our eyes see images with limited details, which often leads to multiple possible interpretations. 3. How to solve optical illusions? Such games often use color, light, or patterns to come up with cleverly generated images that appear deceptive to human eyes and brains. To solve them, people need to pay extra attention to all details.
USA Today
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
The triumph of College Football 26 is in the details
The details 🎮🤌✨You can hear the @UMichFootball fans sing along to Mr. Brightside in @EASPORTSCollege 👏(Via EricRayweather/X) Good morning. If you see a lot of people dragging it at work this a.m., show them a little bit of grace. They were probably up all night playing the early release of College Football 26. I would know, because I'm one of them. Though your tired co-workers will need more than their usual dose of coffee to make it through the day, I can say with full confidence they don't regret their decision to stay up one bit. It was worth it. EA Sports pulled it off again. This isn't a full review of the game. I'll need more than a few hours to do that. I haven't even touched my favorite mode yet, which is Dynasty. So take this for what it is. But after spending a lot of time with the updated Road to Glory and playing enough to get a feel for some of the new features, I feel comfortable saying College Football 26 continues the positive momentum of the CFB franchise after last year's successful return from an 11-year hiatus. Where this game specifically succeeds is in the details. Before we get to those smaller things, the one big change to Road to Glory is that it now begins in high school and allows you build tape towards college offers. This made the mode infinitely more engaging as you earn scholarships, narrow your options down to three schools and have a hat-selection ceremony following your final high school game. That process added more weight to a college decision that was surprisingly hard to make (my 2-star quarterback stunned the world by turning down his hometown team, Maryland, for a chance to play more immediately at James Madison). Other than that addition, the accumulation of small tweaks are what made CFB 26 a step in the right direction for me; more authentic team entrances, (almost all) real coaches, updated gameplay mechanics, authentic time-of-day lighting, updated crowd noise, new graphic packages and so many new band songs. All of these things add up to make the college football broadcast experience feel that much more authentic. From the one annoying drumline song last year to this in College Football 26 🔥 Is CFB 26 perfect? No. Even in the limited time I played, I came across things that can be improved on (RTG is still limited to five positions). But when I finally pried myself away from the controller, I found myself wanting to play more, which is the best compliment you can give a game; it's fun to play. I can't wait to dive into the other modes soon. Wimbledon heartbreak Grigor Dimitrov had the absolute worst luck Monday after he was forced to retire from his fourth-round Wimbledon match with No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner after jumping out to a two-set lead. Dimitrov was potentially on his way to pulling off the latest huge upset of the tournament, then he injured his pec and couldn't go anymore. It was gut-wrenching to see. To make it more heart-breaking, it's the fifth straight Grand Slam tournament in which the 34-year-old Dimitrov has retired dating back to last year's French Open. A sight we never want to Dimitrov is forced to retire while leading two sets to love. Everyone at #Wimbledon is wishing you a speedy recovery, Grigor 💚💜 Though Sinner graciously refused to count the match as a win, he'll advance to play American Ben Shelton in the quarterfinals Wednesday. The 22-year-old Shelton is on an absolute heater, having lost just one set through the first four rounds to become the youngest American man to reach the Wimbledon quarters since Andy Roddick in 2004. Ben Shelton (22) is the youngest American man to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals since Andy Roddick (21) in 2004 😮 With his good luck charm on site to root him on, and girlfriend Trinity Rodman in the stands too, Shelton might just give Sinner a run for his money. Quick Hits: Chris Paul retiring soon ... Kirk Cousins 'misled' ... and more Thanks for reading. Don't forget to put down the sticks and get some work done. This was For The Win's daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here.
Scottish Sun
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Retro US-style roadside diners become tourist attraction in the UK – it's like going back to the 1970s
Plus, Sun Travel visited another American-style diner here in the UK EAT UP Retro US-style roadside diners become tourist attraction in the UK – it's like going back to the 1970s Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE US is so far away, but luckily, there are diners right here in the UK that are strikingly similar to the diners we have all seen in classic American movies. With comfy seating booths, juicy burgers, pancake stacks and sundaes, visitors have confessed the diner makes them feel like they're in the 1970s. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 Brightside diners serve up American-style food like pancakes and milkshakes Credit: Instagram 5 The Brightside decor takes people back to the 1970s Credit: Brightside The American-style diners are known for being nostalgic, as well as hearty food. The inspiration behind the chain sparked from the owners' childhood trips to roadside restaurants - in particular, Little Chef which ceased operations in 2017. All of the Brightside diners are open from Monday to Sunday, 8am to 9pm to accommodate those on long journeys and travelling. In the mornings, Brightside has American dishes like Early Rider which is a mix of smoked streaky bacon, The Jolly Hog 'Proper Porker' sausage, egg, baked beans and sourdough toast. There's also pancake stacks with either fruit or bacon toppings and veggie options. Certain breakfast dishes are served as part of the all day breakfast, but other tasty meals include pizza, burgers, fish and chips, and curry. Also served are sides of chunky chips, cheesy garlic dough balls and macaroni chips. Other classic American items include the big selection of milkshakes with chocolate flavours, strawberry, banana, salted caramel and Biscoff. There's also an option to pick from the 'Speedy Menu' for those needing to get back on the road in a hurry. There's also a children's menu as well as vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options. Inside Popeye's first UK restaurant as we try the menu – and the fried chicken is better than KFC 5 There are four restaurants across the UK Credit: Brightside 5 The diner even has a 'Speedy Menu' for anyone wanting to get back on the road Credit: Instagram The very first restaurant opened back in February 2023 opposite the Exeter racecourse. Across the UK, there are four restaurants, in Honiton, Exeter, Saltash and Ram Jam in Oakham. One visitor to the diner in Saltash wrote: "Thought I'd give this place a try as it's on my way home. Glad I did, the restaurant has cracking retro decor and feel and food was great! Seen somewhere saying it's like Stranger Things, I definitely agree." Another, who had a meal at the Exeter site, added: "Some nice outdoor seating and really cute 1970s style diner done really well." A third visited Honiton and said: "What a great find a fantastic American style roadside diner open all day for breakfast lunch and dinner." These impressive restaurants are ones you will find inside redesigned planes - and there's one in the UK. And Sun Travel reviewed the Mollie's Motel & Diner in Oxfordshire. Plus Travel Reporter Cyann Fielding reveals how she eats on a budget during her travels.
