Saturday, 17 January 2015

Never again...

...will I go for the "fine dining" experience. That's it. Over. Finished.

I've posted about this before, and it seems I never learn. I've posted about weird little garnishes and jus and little sprigs of this and that, and going home hungry at the end of it all. And I went back for more (why?) But on Tuesday, I took no.1 son for lunch, as a belated birthday celebration, and afterwards, I decided never again.

John is a foodie, and a great believer in visiting eating places that have been reviewed in the many periodicals he reads, and he suggested this one. It was nice enough; lovely friendly staff, and a pleasant atmosphere. But the dishes were so complicated that you needed a map and a book of instructions to find your way round them. What was this little trickle supposed to be? This tiny fragment? This colourful dot? Son's starter arrived in a wooden box, and had to be assembled in front of him, while he looked on, utterly bewildered. I can't remember what it was, but I know it involved a quail's egg.

Afterwards, he was scrupulously polite, and very sweet, but he did comment that "you just want your lunch, don't you?"  (It reminds me of the occasion when his sister was stressing about a dinner party she was giving. "Daisy, people just want pie," he told her.)

Quite.
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30 comments:

  1. Librarian17 January 2015 at 17:12

    What I'd like to know now is, will John keep following the restaurant reviews he finds in his magazines? Was he happy with his elaborate meal?

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    1. Frances Garrood17 January 2015 at 18:36

      Meike, he wasn't there. He was having his own fancy meal with a friend elsewhere. But I made sure he heard all about it!

      Delete
    2. Graham Edwards17 January 2015 at 20:27

      Frances I am (not for the first time in my life - in fact not for the first time this evening but that's another matter). Is John No. 1 Son? If so how was he not there? If John is not No. 1 Son who is he? Sorry but I'm such a simple soul.

      Delete
    3. Frances Garrood17 January 2015 at 22:19

      Graham, John is my husband. No apology needed. I shouldn't make assumptions...

      Delete
    4. Librarian18 January 2015 at 08:04

      I was just as confused as Graham, but now I understand the who-is-who better.

      Delete
  2. DawnTreader17 January 2015 at 18:18

    I have to agree with your son... I usually avoid (places that serve) fancy starters, and much prefer a salad buffé + a main course that can be clearly identified :)

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  3. Fran Hill17 January 2015 at 18:58

    I watch them on Masterchef assembling bits and bobs of foam and pretend earth and green blobs and although it's great entertainment, it's not what I call food. Pie is indeed the thing.

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    1. Frances Garrood17 January 2015 at 22:20

      It's also veryexpensive, Fran. I think Son would have preferred the chippie.

      Delete
  4. Maria18 January 2015 at 01:33

    Frances, I so know where you are coming from...
    I'm a Jamie Oliver girl myself, love his TV shows as its proper tasting food and proper people sized portions!

    Hope you didn't have to go down the chippy afterwards?

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    Replies
    1. Frances Garrood18 January 2015 at 16:37

      Maria, you're right. Jame Oliver does food. Proper food.

      Delete
  5. Cro Magnon18 January 2015 at 05:23

    Beware black aprons, and hankies over the left forearm. My main grouch is FOAM.

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    1. Frances Garrood18 January 2015 at 16:38

      CM, don't get me started on foam.WHAT is it about?

      Delete
  6. ADRIAN18 January 2015 at 07:35

    I used to like faffy food but always had room for fish and chips on the way home.

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    1. Frances Garrood18 January 2015 at 16:40

      That's the trouble,
      Adrian. You end up paying twice.

      Delete
  7. libby18 January 2015 at 09:39

    Emperors new clothes comes to mind....

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  8. Teresa Ashby18 January 2015 at 09:57

    Food can be satisfying and still look pretty! I love what he said to his sister about pie xx

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    1. Frances Garrood18 January 2015 at 16:41

      Teresa, I think pie and men were made for each other.

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  9. Nicola18 January 2015 at 19:27

    I am a trained chef, Frances and I can't see the point of 'nouveau cuisine': it's not worth cooking and it's not worth eating :):) Good ole fashioned 'proper' food is what it's all about. Have a lovely week.

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  10. Patsy18 January 2015 at 20:56

    I don't mind fancy food - as long as there is some food and not just a plate of fancy.

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    Replies
    1. Frances Garrood19 January 2015 at 13:33

      Patsy, my dearest friend is now blind, and I do wonder what she would make of this kind of food!

      Delete
  11. Maggie May18 January 2015 at 22:26

    I enjoy nicely presented meals that don't need the bones removing and small portions suit me as when I've had three courses I'm full. But anything in a box with foam or smoke is just too much faffing about. And I hate waiters who hover waiting to pounce.

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    Replies
    1. Frances Garrood19 January 2015 at 13:35

      At least this kind of meal comes without bones, Maggie. I suppose that's something to be thankful for.

      Delete
  12. Wendy's Writing19 January 2015 at 08:25

    I like my food to look like food!

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  13. Rosemary Gemmell19 January 2015 at 09:03

    I can just picture your faces at the assembling of that meal! I've never forgotten my husband's disgust at the first nouvelle cuisine meal he had at an event - he was hungry when he came home.

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    1. Frances Garrood19 January 2015 at 13:37

      Rsemary, the wooden box was most weird. I wish now that I'd asked why!

      Delete
  14. Colette McCormick25 January 2015 at 23:00

    Never could understand the need to complicate food.

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