At Last! The Caesar Salad Show
The Clifton Arms Hotel, Lytham, 28th August 2006
Top notch all round, though heavy on the pocket. Canapes while we read the menu. Menu "safe". Starter: Caesar Salad (honest guv). Lovely crisp lettuce, crutons just right with herby tones, yer actual anchovies, parmesan shavings and a sauce that knew its place. Brown bread to accompany was rather bland.
Wine arrived: a 2000 Gevrey-Chambertin (the list said 2001 but we weren't complaining). Cherry red, very smooth - would go down without touching the sides if you didn't stop it - long finish and generally in the lighter red fruit regions, perhaps redcurrents with a hint of vanilla.
Main course: Confit of Duck. Easy to say but this was perfect. Never had one as good. Even I can't cook this well. Crisp, cruchy skin and succulent, tender, moist flesh. Served with very good quenelle of carrot flavoured with aniseed or caraway (sorry, my buds don't always work fully), fine green beans, roast parsnips and crisp roast potatoes. (My companion's mashed potatoes were flavoured with tarragon - perfect with his chicken). Dark, rich sauce to accompany. My portions of veg just a bit on the mean side but my companion couldn't eat all his.
Dessert: two good sized portions of Lancashire cheese: one a blue, the other "neat". Fabulous range of biscuits to accompany, white grapes and good, wholesome butter. Coffee and chocolate mints. With a bottle of sparkling water £91.10 for the two.
Recommended. In the old school of restaurants so we could hear each other talk.
Top notch all round, though heavy on the pocket. Canapes while we read the menu. Menu "safe". Starter: Caesar Salad (honest guv). Lovely crisp lettuce, crutons just right with herby tones, yer actual anchovies, parmesan shavings and a sauce that knew its place. Brown bread to accompany was rather bland.
Wine arrived: a 2000 Gevrey-Chambertin (the list said 2001 but we weren't complaining). Cherry red, very smooth - would go down without touching the sides if you didn't stop it - long finish and generally in the lighter red fruit regions, perhaps redcurrents with a hint of vanilla.
Main course: Confit of Duck. Easy to say but this was perfect. Never had one as good. Even I can't cook this well. Crisp, cruchy skin and succulent, tender, moist flesh. Served with very good quenelle of carrot flavoured with aniseed or caraway (sorry, my buds don't always work fully), fine green beans, roast parsnips and crisp roast potatoes. (My companion's mashed potatoes were flavoured with tarragon - perfect with his chicken). Dark, rich sauce to accompany. My portions of veg just a bit on the mean side but my companion couldn't eat all his.
Dessert: two good sized portions of Lancashire cheese: one a blue, the other "neat". Fabulous range of biscuits to accompany, white grapes and good, wholesome butter. Coffee and chocolate mints. With a bottle of sparkling water £91.10 for the two.
Recommended. In the old school of restaurants so we could hear each other talk.
posted by Jean-Paul Sartre at
6:02 pm
