Belfast Eats out?

From time to time i am asked to recommend somewhere to eat,normally by someone visiting our fair city.

This is a problem for me because while i love to go out to eat i wouldnt normally venture into the city centre. (i see enough of the place as it is).


So i was wondering where would you guys recommend?

There are places i pick up from regularly and get to hear about the food and the service but of course there are plenty of restaurant's i never hear about.

Depending on what kind of restaurant i am asked about some of the places i would normally direct folks too are.

1
Ginger on Hope St, i have lifted punters from here for a few years and only ever heard one complaint which was from an American who was unhappy they were not serving steak.

2
The Mourne Seafood Bar, Once again picked up here alot and not heard more than an odd whinge normally about something petty, plus i have tasted there food (seafood chowder) which was fantastic.

3
Macau on the Ormeau Rd would be the Chinese i would sent folks to early in the evening, or later the Dragon Rendezvous later on in the evening.

So if you where asked where would you recommend?

BTD

Hello is there anyone out there???

OK where the hell has everyone gone?
Belfast over the last few months has been getting slowly quieter.

I know the first few months of the year are always a bit slow but this just ain't funny know more.

I cant believe I'm about to say this but has the credit crunch really taken hold so badly that know one is leaving the homes anymore.

Saturday night was the quietest i have ever worked since i started driving a cab a few select bars where busy but most where dead, i picked several staff sent home early as they where not needed.

I know times are tight they are for most of us but i really didn't think thing where as bad as this, every week i tell myself that this week is when it will start to pick up just too end up disappointing myself.

I suppose there wont be a pick realistically until St Patricks day.

Still enough moaning because while moaning is something every good cabby can do for hours on any subject it don't help.
But it does make you feel better
:) btd:)

Multiple murderer wants to drive belfast taxi!!!

A Basque separatist convicted of 25 murders has lost his legal battle for a licence to work as a taxi driver in west Belfast.

Jose Ignacio de Juana Chaos is fighting separate extradition proceedings on allegations of glorifying terrorism.

On Tuesday, a judge said there appeared to be a "blatant attempt to mislead" over his record in his cab application.

His lawyers told Belfast Magistrates Court he had left his violent past behind and wanted a fresh start.

His barrister told the court Mr de Juana Chaos, 54, should be treated as an exception to the rule where ex-prisoners can only apply for taxi licences three years after completing their sentence.

"The offending behaviour purely related to the political theatre," he said.

"The people subjected to the violence were members of the police force in Spain."

Mr de Juana Chaos was released from prison in August 2008.

His lawyer said he has now removed himself from the political conflict and wants to drive specified routes for the West Belfast Taxi Association, where his wife works.

"The reason why my client came here... having committed very serious offences, is to benefit, even if only indirectly, from the way in which this society is prepared to give people who have committed awful offences a chance and a new start," the lawyer said.

He added that 15 ex-prisoners with convictions for "politically inspired violence" already work for the association.

He said there were former prisoners on both side of the community in Northern Ireland who held such licences.

The lawyer said that Mr de Juana Chaos would rather suffer death than be extradited back to Spain.

"If he is returned there he will go on hunger strike," the barrister said.

"He's not someone still full of vim and vigour for any type of armed conflict. He's completely exhausted and wants to get on with his life."

But a lawyer for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency argued that a failure to disclose convictions on the application was an attempt to mislead the department.

The status of the Basque Separatist group ETA's ceasefire was also questioned, with the court told of further bombings and attacks on Spanish police within the last two years.

District Judge Ken Nixon said Mr de Juana Chaos' own legal representatives had accepted he faced "a potentially insurmountable hurdle".

Mr Nixon pointed out the applicant was only released from prison on 1 August, 2008 "in the context of very serious offences... no matter what the theatre may be".

BTD

This article was taken from the bbc website

First formal of the year!

I had for gotten about school formals and just how drunk they get.

Well i picked up my first formal patrons of the season outside Mono in Belfast where they had just finished there after formal party.

The evening dress suits worn by the fellas did its usual trick off making lads in there late teens look about 12 years old, where as the gowns and make up worn by the girls made them look in there early 20s.
This makes it look so wrong when they kiss kinda looks like a teenage girl eating the face off her prepubescent younger brother (enough to make u cringe).

I picked up three you ladies who must be said looked a little worse for where but mostly intact.

They where friendly bunch talking about their night still on a buzz from the amazing time they had or possibly the alcohol who am i to judge?

They tried the normal game of lets embarrass the Taxi driver! a game which i have plenty of practice at and rarely lose.
Then one of them who was only slurring her words a little got a phone call and started to argue with the person on the other end as to who owned what she insisted was her beaver!

I try not to pay much but can only assume that she ether got one as a pet and someone is trying to blackmail her for access or she sponsors one in the wild somewhere and the mystery person has stolen the adoption certificate.

After a few minutes negotiation the person on the side of the phone gave up and they all went back to yelling out the windows to anyone who would listen
Although they got quite quiet and a smidge more dignified as we arrived at their house!

btd

St Valentines

St Valentines

"St Valentines night is always busy night so come out and stay late"
This was the message on my data head sent by the power that be at my depot.

All i can say in response is lies all lies, its all lies that's because i was daft enough to believe it and it cost me a night in with my beloved.

I should have known that it would not be any busyer than any other Sunday in fact it was the opposite due to suckers like me coming out on a shift we don't normally work making it worse for the guys who normally do this shift.

It should have twigged that a similar message gets sent anytime there is an event of any kind.

The reason being the desk staff or depot owners want to cope with any rush that may happen but normally doesn't and didnt last night.
(Desk staff panic if customers waiting for 10 minuites, most will wait happily if you tell them the truth and not tell them straight way!)

So i think from now on i will be sticking to my normal shifts and ignoring any further messages from the powers that be to come out as it will be busy.
Maybe take mrstaxidriver out instead.

Childish but made me smile!

i know its childish but itmade me laugh

so i stole it from
elles blog

All i got is a £20

What a frustrating night last night was.

By 10 pm i was fretting, by 11pm i was getting a little upset but by half past midnight i was raging.

I never thought i would be complaining about people handing me £20 notes! after all they one of my favourite things in the world after £50 and £100 notes.

But why do people insist in paying for a short journey where the fare is £3 with a twenty?

I know sometimes it just happens that way.

I expect this to happen and have adjusted my float but last night out of all the fares i covered (before being forced to concede defeat and go home) all but 2 gave me a £20 for a fare less than a fiver un fucking real.

The Depot i work for insists that you have enough of a float to provide change of a £20 and take a dim view if you ask the punter if he has anything smaller.

So have ended up with a six pack of coke cola where each tin was bought individually so i could get change for the next person to give me another £20.

Suppose i will have to put last night down a freak occurrence as its the first time i have been emptied of all my notes and change.

So I'm off to the bank to restock my float before Mrstaxidriver thinks all those 20s where profit.

BTD