If you would like to view this email in your browser, please click here.

July newsletter

Hello {SUBSCRIBER_NAME}

Arrggh, arggh, eeek, boooooo. OK, that's my statement on the British summer this year! But in the seven years I've been self employed in Bournemouth we've never had a sunny summer school holidays and this year it looks like we just might. Check out this little forecast here that I promise you is legit and looks like things are on the up!!! YIPPEEE. It was all down to a pesky jet stream apparently!

Hopefully heaps of you have seen the new balcony at Reef, not that we've had much chance to use it. However, we added £30k's worth of magic German glass underneath and we now have an awesome weather proof 'cube' you can sit in, with a three metre high sliding glass wall. British summer, you cannot beat us, we are Urban Reef and we will kick your bottom! More on the 'cube' below.

So what else do we have for you this month? Well, in 'Share the love' we have two very deserving charities, Lewis-Manning Hospice and Creative Kids. You'll be introduced to our Head Chef Janusz in 'Meet the team', and in 'Meet a customer' you'll be able to read about a very lovely couple Stu and Ali. For everyone that has a sweet tooth, enjoy a rather naughty cheesecake recipe in 'What's in your tummy' and we feature our very own Urban Farm in 'Bestest Friends'. Our 'Ooh a competition' is weather themed and to end, meet Mr.Rodrigo in 'Hiccup'.

As always feedback on this month's newsletter or anything else is appreciated via mark@urbanreef.com. If you fancy reading any of our previous newsletters you can find them here.

Thanks so much for reading, enjoy the blurb, keep in touch and pop in and see us soon.

With love and hugs, Mark (Head Urbaner)

The next 30 days

Urban Menus

In line with the changing seasons we've just launched a few new menus. Have a little look here to view our new café, restaurant and bar snacks menus and spend the next 30 days checking each and every dish. Your feedback is appreciated as always. x

The Urban 'Cube'

Like a kid at Christmas we are very very excited about our new 'cube'. You know the score, our ground floor has never had enough covered space to really make the most of the bar. Great in the sunshine but rubbish in the cold. We'll be working hard during the next 30 days with furniture, decor and lots of love to create a funky daytime café and evening bar that we can keep open all year round to compliment the restaurant. Come and take a look and we'll be uploading photos soon. We think our new 'retro' bar snacks menu is rather cool with our typical Reef twist! Our own posh pork scratchings, Kay's lamb sausage rolls, pickled cockles, our secret seasoned nuts recipe and more. Urban Reef is now an all weather destination, we promise ;)

'Taptotable' Water Bottles

Have you seen these yet? We think they are rather funky and we've been using them at Reef for a few days already. We know in some restaurants you feel bad asking for tap water since you don't want to look too tight and some restaurants charge you a fortune for the bottled stuff. Well not us, we've bought these rather cool branded water bottles that we can reuse with chilled tap water and we don't charge you a penny. Better for the environment and better for your pocket. We're proactive members of the Sustainable Restaurant Association - spend the next 30 days checking that other places you go out for dinner are too, or just come to us ;)

A film made in Bournemouth

Have you heard of a new British film being made right here on our doorstep? These local lads are looking for funding and Bournemouth is keen to develop a more arts and cultured reputation, so take a look and give the boys some feedback by clicking here.

Bournemouth Air Show

We have some very very exciting news about the Air Festival (30th Aug – 2nd Sep) for Boscombe, but sorry we're not officially allowed to share it yet. Not because it's more than 30 days away, but because the council have it under wraps. Keep an eye on Facebook and Twitter and we'll keep you posted as soon as we're allowed. At last, Boscombe will be well and truly on the Air Festival map!!

Share the love

This is the section where all of you marvellous people get to read about two very lovely and worthwhile charities (or sometimes people on behalf of charities) that have asked for a bit of support. This is usually in the form of a raffle prize for a charity auction. So in 'Share the Love' you read about these two charities, they get some exposure, you beautiful people get to feel good about voting for one of them (or both if you can't make up your mind) and the chosen charity gets given a 'meal for two' prize. There's lots of love sharing going on.

This month you can read all about: Lewis-Manning Hospice and Creative Kids!

Lewis-Manning Hospice- Lovely Louise!

We were contacted by Louise Blackwell who works for a small Poole-based charity, Lewis-Manning Hospice. The Hospice provides care and support to local people with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses for free.

2012 is the charities 20th anniversary and they are currently aiming to raise another £1.6million towards their brand new state of the art hospice in Lilliput to expand their day hospice service, breathlessness and lymphodema clinics, plus a brand new 23 bed palliative care unit for rehabilitation, respite and end of life care.

Each month, the charity has to raise at least £50,000 to ensure they can provide their services to local people for free. This cost will triple when they move back into their new facility.

Louise has asked if we can support the charity with a raffle prize for September 1st, the Bournemouth Air Show, where Lewis-Manning has a hospitality suite in the BIC which includes a two course hot buffet lunch, afternoon tea and arrival bucks fizz for £45. All proceeds will go to the hospice. To find out more about the charity, you can call: 01202 701000.

Creative Kids – Caring Cary!

Cary Lightfoot from charity Creative Kids got in touch with us to ask if we could supply them with a raffle prize for one of the many events they're running throughout the summer.

The charity's vision is to create a community that invests in its children's creativity, where all children are given free access to the arts so they can realise their creative potential and are inspired to build for themselves a vibrant, diverse and connected community.

To accomplish this vision in the short term, Creative Kids create and produce free arts events in Boscombe which encourage children's participation and engagement with the arts and local artists. To effect long term community change, the charity works together with vulnerable children aged 14-18, who with their support, are given the project management tools to create their own arts events. The aim is to help these children develop leadership skills, build confidence and self-esteem.

You can find out more about Creative Kids by clicking here.

So there you have it, two very worthwhile causes. To vote please click here and you'll also be able to read about both here.

Meet the team

Here we tell you about one of us, you say hi when you see them, they smile and feel special, you smile and feel special, we all have a more smiley special life, perfect.

This month lets meet the man in charge of the Urban Reef Kitchen. Yes, drum roll please, it's 'JANUSZ'.

The observant amongst you will note Janusz is Polish. He has been living in the UK for nearly a decade and most of that time in Bournemouth. Janusz has been part of the Urban group for a very very long time, starting at the Urban Beach helping Mark right back in the early days when the Beach had no deck and just did a few baguettes by day. Janusz spent three years working side-by-side with Mark until he became Head Chef at Reef.

In 2011 Janusz took a year out to go and work at some of the best restaurants in the UK (if not the world) to perfect his craft. Nobu, Gordon Ramsay's Maze & Heston's Fat Duck are just a few places Janusz went to learn. Janusz had an incredible 12 month journey and came back with literally thousands of photos, ideas and inspirations to put to play back in Bournemouth. The lure of the sea and the Urban Reef culture and ethics meant he could stay away no more and he's now back firmly in the driving seat of the Reef kitchen. We're damn excited to have him home ;)

Over to you now Janusz!

Favourite Food - My favourite Urban food is the pork belly dish. It's local pork from Dorset, slowly cooked and is served with a very aromatic hay infused mash potato. I'm also a fan of modern European foods – Italian, French and foods from India, Thai and Japan, pretty much all food really!

Favourite drink - I love rum! So when I have an after work drink at Urban it has to be the Urban spiced rum. I enjoy drinking wine, beer and English cider too.

Interesting fact - My Father used to work as a chef so I think cooking is in my genes! Also, in my free time I've started to do a film direction course - Steven Spielberg eat your heart out!

Meet a customer

We've told you a little bit about us, but it's more important for you to tell us a little bit about you! We want to be a neighbourhood restaurant, part of the community where you feel that you can just come and hang out and relax. So each month we introduce you to a lovely customer or two, who as a thanks for being quite so lovely, gets to enjoy a scrumptious dinner (on us!) by way of thanks. It's that easy. All you need to do is email community@urbanreef.com and we'll get your dinner ready ;)

Who: This month we have the lovely Ali and Stu!

Ali works as a health and social care assessor for a company called Paragon. Paragon just happens to be situated pretty much opposite our brother venue, Urban Beach (convenient for after work drinks then Ali!) And Stu works as a chef and also as a Special Constable when he can fit it in, so he's a pretty busy chap. The duo moved into their Boscombe flat about a year ago and are enjoying living so close to the amazing beach and fab bars and restaurants in the area (wonder who they can be referring to there...?)

Fave food & drink (Over to you guys!): We realise you probably get this answer a lot, but we both love the amazing burgers at Urban. They certainly fill a gap. And as to drinks, we're huge fans of the Mojitos and enjoy it when the bar staff put different spins on the classic concoction.

Loves: We both enjoy spending time with our family and friends and we’re big fans of eating out and trying new foods. We do so as much as our wallets will allow!

Like the Urban Reef because: Both Urban Beach and Reef are only a stones throw from our flat so it's great to be able to enjoy some good food and drinks and only have a short walk home! Urban Reef especially is a great place to come for family meals and we've come for plenty of special occasions as we know we'll get well looked after.

(Well, we're blushing again, but thanks so much for being such loyal customers and please do enjoy a night on us by way of thanks. xx).

Ali and Stu

What's in your tummy?

'Kay the cakes' raspberry and white chocolate baked cheesecake

Even though it's rainy and miserable out there, this month’s newsletter features a summer recipe. At least you can then feel the summer season on the inside even if it’s not sunny on the outside!

To have a go at baking Kay's delightful dessert (to serve 12) just click on this link.

Oohh, a competition

Rain, rain go away and don’t come again another day!

It's summer and that should mean bikini clad babes, dudes in board shorts, sunglasses, flip flopped clad toes. But hey, it is the classic Great British summer so that means its rained for the past few weeks.

Still, we should look on the bright side – all the rain helps to keep England looking lush and green! Plus it gives us the opportunity to do a rain themed competition. May as well make the most of it ;)

So, if you want to win a tasty meal for two, all you need to do is read the question below, pick an answer and email: competition@urbanreef.com with either A, B or C. The winner is picked at random and we then book them in for dinner.

Here's this month's question: In the song 'Singin' in the rain', (from the film 'Singin' in the rain) who dances in the rain...? Is it:

A.) Justin Timberlake

B.) Michael Jackson

C.) Gene Kelly

The winner will be drawn mid August so happy guessing to one and all!

Congratulations go to Emma Lee, the winner from our June into July newsletter :-)

Our bestest friends

Our own Urban Farm!

You've met a member of the Urban Reef team, met one of our lovely marvellous customers, now it's time to talk about a supplier. Our suppliers are the amazing people that help to make your eyes pop and your bellies churn with glee. Suppliers are the people who work away in the background producing wonderful ingredients which we then buy at Urban Reef and turn into plates of splendour for you to enjoy.

This month we have a little cheat though... as we've decided to feature the Urban Farm! The piece of land out in Sopley the New Forest, where we grow our own fruit and veg to supply both Urban Reef and our brother venue Urban Beach.

At Urban, sourcing fresh, local and seasonal produce is something that's very important to Urban owner Mark – so what better way to guarantee this then by having your own piece of land!

Mark acquired this piece of land just over a year ago and is passionate about educating people, both Urban staff and customers in where the food that ends up on their plates has come from. Hopefully customers (that's you folk) will get excited knowing that a lot of love and care has gone in to growing some of the produce on the plate.

And what have we been growing at the Urban Farm? Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, kale, lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes and strawberries to name just a few! The hope is to acquire some more land to grow even more lovely fresh stuff.

So there you have it, that's a brief overview of the Urban Farm, you keep an eye on our progress here

Hiccup

May we introduce 'Mr Rodrigo'

In 'Hiccup' you find out how to make an Urban cocktail, you can then try and recreate it at home and if you struggle a little, don’t worry, just pop in to Urban and we can show you how it’s done ;)

So if you fancy a drink with a bit of a kick and lots of bite, 'Mr Rodrigo' is for you!

Ingredients -

• 1 shot of our finest tequila 'Casco Viejo Reposado'
• 1 shot of Cointreau orange liqueur
• 2 shots of pineapple juice
• Dash of lime
• 1 twist of our infamous pepper mill
• And finally, half a shot (or a full shot if you're brave enough) of our very own Jalapeno infused gomme!

Method -

• Add all of your ingredients into a Boston Shaker, then shake em' up – vigorously! For 15.78 seconds to be precise ;) before being strained into a brandy snifter filled with crushed ice.

It's very simple, fresh and spicy! When drinking it, imagine yourself away in some far off exotic place...

To unsubscribe from future Urban Reef newsletters please click here
{COUNTER}