Friday, March 11, 2011

The Duchess, revisited.


My father's first wife was referred to, in hushed tones, as "The Duchess". Black hair with a widow's peak, milky skin and blue eyes. The small town Vivien Leigh of the sixties. I think of her whenever I look at the silhouette portraits on either side of The Duchess of Wisbeach's front door.


Our dinner there last September couldn't be faulted.
So last night I went there with those juicy Karoo Lamb Chops foremost on my mind, my belly growling.
Alas.
There were only two, not three. The jug of velvety mint sauce is now a tiny dish of watery green. The chops themselves were small and lackluster. My companion to the right remarked that his spatchcocked baby chicken may have been run over, so plentiful were the splinters of bone.
Ah well, nothing that another glass of wine wouldn't remedy. And on the bright side: the french fries are still seriously good. We shared three desserts with many spoons - all delicious. The service was excellent, if completely eccentric.
The mood was light and jovial.
Thanks friends, for a lovely evening.


4 comments:

Marie said...

Maybe someone left and the fax came true...

the sourcerer said...

sad but true. Chef Amy is no longer there.

Ami Vicars said...

to Lily Turner and Marie, yes i have left Duchess and am now at a lovely Restaurant within the C.B.D. So please come and dine at the establishment and hopefully i can tantalize your tastebuds again....
Call me 0833673851

Chef Ami Vicars

the sourcerer said...

Ami -
thanks so much for that!
I have found you on Google..
will definitely pop in when I can.
hoping for a lamb chop.....