Neil Gits a Fresh Salad

Anyone who’s ever listened to “The Old Gits Soul Show” on a regular basis will know that I am a hardly a shining beacon for the practice of “healthy eating” – I live for bars of chocolate, portions of chips, Chinese takeaways and almost anything with chicken in it. In actual fact, it’s uncanny how most of my favourite foods begin with ” ch ” – I’ve also taken quite a liking to those processed cheese slices you get in burgers, now that I’ve finally sussed how to strip the plastic off them !!

So what’s with the salad in the title of this blog then ? Well, for the last couple of years, I have been impressed with the quality of the ‘meal deals’ served up at my local chain pub when our quiz team “Sealed With A Quiz” get together on the occasional Wednesday evening – Nathan, Amy & I live for the Katsu Chicken Curry with Chips & Rice (A13 Annie prefers a Mac & Cheese) but other items on the “Two mains for £15.95” Pub Classics menu such as Hunters Chicken, Wholetali Scampi, Grilled Gammon & good old Fish ‘n’ Chips (though NEVER as nice as by the seaside!) have all got the thumbs up from us. A couple of those dishes come served with peas as standard – and I HATE them! (In fact the only green food that I can say I actually enjoy eating is mint choc chip ice cream !) However the team behind the bar & in the kitchen always come up trumps there too and replace those horrible little round green things with a more acceptable side salad – I don’t want an epty space on my plate where food should be !

A couple of weeks back whilst on my weekly visit to Grays, Ann suggested we try one of her local pubs “The Chafford Hundred” run by a different chain but, with a similar good value offer on meals. When trying food at a new venue, I always go for a classic burger first – I eat so many, it’s my specialist subject when dining out, like drinkers with a taste for fine wine ! Disappointingly, mine came complete with one of those poncey brioche buns that taste more like a cake than a bread roll, but there was an option to swap the bun for a salad, so I did having quite enjoyed my last experience with one at the quiz night. This rather confused Ann who is not used to seeing me eat anything even moderately good for you ! It’s such a worry – what is happening to the “Old Git” that we know and love ?!

Writing this blog I have now developed a strong desire to eat a curry, a pizza or any fast food that is not green in any shape or form ! My true love of course is soul music and whatever whets your appetite at the dinner table, there is plenty of that on offer to enhance your evening meal when tuned in between 7 & 9pm this Monday …

The Tunes – Monday 1st June 2026

Donald Byrd – Love Has Come Around
Tom Browne – Funkin’ For Jamaica
Down To The Bone ft Hil St Soul – Get Up & Dance
Jacksons – Show You The Way To Go
Jacksons – Music’s Takin’ Over
Jarrod Lawson – If We Pretend
Boney James feat Bridgette Bryant- Happy Home
Al B Sure – Nite & Day
Emotions – I Should Be Dancing
Shakatak – Invitations
Terri Wells – Who’s That Stranger
Bob Marley & Wailers – So Much Things To Say
MOJ (Masters Of Jazz) – Smokin’ Home
Gwen McCrae – I Can Only Think Of You
Leo’s Sunshipp – Give Me The Sunshine
Ronnie McNeir – Everybody’s In A Hurry
Louise Pollock – Aquarian Dream
Stylistics – And I’ll See You No More
Debbie Ryvers – Next Lifetime
Supremes – Automatically Sunshine
Masquerade – (The Solution To) The Problem
Fatback Band – (Are You Ready) Do The Bus Stop
Kingdon – Time & Space (2026 Dance Edit)

Feel free to get in touch with your soulful request or just for a mention on the show – put a post on “The Old Gits Soul Show” page on Facebook, text (01268)833978 or message me via e-mail : [email protected].

The Old Gits Soul Show is broadcast LIVE from 7pm–9pm every Monday, repeated on Saturday evening from 5pm–7pm, on Gateway 97.8FM in Basildon & East Thurrock, across South Essex on DAB and available nationally via the Radio Player on your TV as well as online via www.gateway978.com You can listen on your smart speaker or your phone too … plus you can hear it again anytime you like via the “Listen Again” button on the Gateway website – just search “Cool Soul” !