Yesterday was Man-Tribble’s first payday, and late in the afternoon I received a text informing me that he’d booked a table at our favourite pub/restaurant (pictured) for 8pm. For us this place holds many happy memories concerning family and friends, and the food never fails to deliver.
Being a Tuesday, the menu wasn’t terribly exciting, but that didn’t matter. A Stella and a good Rioja were promptly ordered and we settled back to peruse the menu at our leisure. I started with mushrooms baked in a garlic and cheese sauce, with dipping bread (which was utterly divine – three of my favourite foods and flavours in one little bowl) and Dom chose the prawn cocktail. I’d considered the scallop and prawn dish, but I’ve never eaten scallops so wanted to make sure I ordered something I wouldn’t end up disliking. I’ve always liked the look of them though.
For mains I went for the half roast chicken, which came with perfectly cooked potatoes (cooked in goose fat, from the taste) and seasonal vegetables. Dom went for the shepherd’s pie with a nice rack of lamb on the side.
We had been wanting the cheese board for dessert, but were both too full! Another time perhaps; years of living barely above the poverty line has caused both of our stomachs to have forgotten how to cope with decent, rich food.
“Food babies” aside (I could have done with a fork lift to get me on my feet!) it was such a marvellous feeling, just going out for a meal, knowing that we were spending our own money and not disability handouts (which I have always felt guilty about in spite of the fact that I was fully entitled to them), and not having to concern ourselves with the cost.
Of course, the inevitable CFS crash has since arrived, and I didn’t manage to wake up until 2pm today, in spite of an early night. That’s okay too though, as I get to spend the afternoon reading a book so that I can review it on Accidental Book Reviews, whilst drinking my favourite Chinese tea (the Alishan, which makes my brain feel pleasantly “fluffy”).
On Friday, I plan to take Dom out to another favourite place – The Crown – where they serve the most beautiful sea bass fillets, and we know the landlady and the staff.
An Accident In Space And Time 
It’s great to be able to go out and celebrate again after a long time on short commons, isn’t it?
My last ‘outage’ was only three years, but that first reshmee kebab, followed by tandoori mixed grill with aloo gobi, at the Mohan in Old Stevenage (a favourite eating-house of mine for the past fifteen years or more) after an awfully long time tasted so, so good!
I have no idea what scallops taste like, as I’m allergic to crab, lobster and shellfish. I do like the idea of shepherd’s pie with a side dish of rack of lamb, though!
Have a lovely evening at the Crown on Friday!
Our favourite pub for lunch in this neck of the woods is the Lytton Arms at Old Knebworth; the food is excellent, and they have real still draught perry, as well as a good selection of real ales and cider. They do an excellent Sunday roast at a very reasonable price, though I’m occasionally tempted to push the boat out a bit further, and order a steak, with peppercorn sauce, triple-cooked chips, and mushrooms 🙂
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I tried to comment but WordPress seems to have eaten it. I’ll see whether this test one works
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Hmmm. Seems as though that worked. Perhaps the first one got rejected because I put a couple of links in it.
Here goes again:-
It’s great to be able to go out and celebrate after a long time on short commons, isn’t it? My last ‘outage’ was only three years, but that first outing to the Mohan in Old Stevenage, for a reshmee kebab, followed by tandoori mixed grill with aloo gobi, tasted so, so good!
I don’t know what scallops taste like, as I’m allergic to crab, lobster and shellfish. I do like the idea of shepherd’s pie with a side dish of rack of lamb, though!
My favourite pub for lunch is the Lytton Arms at Old Knebworth, which apart from its excellent food, also serves real still draught perry, as well as a good range of real ales and real cider. It serves very good Sunday roasts at a reasonable price; however, I occasionally push the boat out a bit further, and order a steak with triple-cooked chips and peppercorn sauce 🙂
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I had to approve your initial comment, but unfortunately I was otherwise engaged (writing) and wasn’t able to get to it straight away.
Food always tastes better when you know you can afford it, I find; there’s nothing worse than justifying a meal to yourself, in spite of being well aware that food is a basic right. I like food, Dom likes food, and now we don’t have to hold back 🙂
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I’m sorry – I didn’t realise (or had perhaps forgotten) that there was an approval stage for a first comment. My apologies for making a mess of your post!
When I was living on rapidly-diminishing savings, I had to buy the cheapest of everything, both in food and other needs. I hated it, but I had to do it. About the only good it did me was that I weighed somewhat less than I do now 🙂
I’m definitely a person who lives to eat, rather than the reverse. Good food and drink are two of my greatest pleasures in life, and always have been.
For tonight’s dinner, I’m going to make a potato-crust pie, filling it with smoked mackerel and some softened onions. I hope it will work!
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You probably forgot; after all, it’s been five years since I had to approve you on my old blog! 🙂
I think it’s going to take my stomach a good while to adjust to eating more than just the gritty basics (I couldn’t eat yesterday because I’m still full from our meal out), and I’m one of those who just can’t enjoy basic food at all – I eat it because I must, and for no other reason. Actually getting to eat food I enjoy is going to be a novelty for quite a while.
Oh goodness, I love mackerel! My Mum’s from Somerset, and so I’ve grown up knowing that it’s best fried in vinegar (although red wine works too). Let me know how the pie turns out!
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It seems I can’t reply to your latest comment (no ‘Reply’ tag), so I’m putting it here – I hope that’s OK.
The fish pie was excellent! It went down very well indeed, with whole green beans and a glass of German beer.
I could perhaps post the recipe (though it’s very simple) on my LJ, if it’s of any interest.
In other news, we seem to have acquired a regularly-visiting male Sp’r’awk; his last observed prey was a male Blackbird. Nature is not kind, but Nature is Nature.
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Another really good thing about going out to eat is the not having to do the washing up afterwards.
On a side-note, I hope that the glass of Rioja was delicious but a single glass. Xxx
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I might have had more than one, but we were celebrating so that’s allowed 🙂
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