Lets have exactly what we had last time, said my husband greedily as we strode past the gloriously lit facade of St Pauls Cathedral towards Terence Conrans new Paternoster Chop house in the modern development nearby. Despite my protests that we ought to try more made dishes than steak and oysters so readers could see what the kitchen could do, he persisted: Well I do not work for The Sunday Telegraph Magazine, and anyway, readers will want to know of the steak was just as good the second time around.
This is where, a few weeks earlier, we had eaten the best steak we have ever had. Then, the huge marble bar had been awash with City boys drinking ale from silver tankards and chomping pork scratchings, every table in the large white room full and the whole place bussing cheerfully. What a different scene it presented this Monday night - the bar empty, the restaurant not half full.
My husband was still rhapsodising about the Bordelaise-style gravy that came with the steak when we reached our table near the huge open kitchen, which stretches across the entire end wall of the restaurant. Then the waitress (charming, as are all the staff) broke the news that the 42 day, dry-aged Glen Fyne sirloin was finished.
Now we really had to study the menu, which turned out to be a trot through the best of British dishes. West Mersea oysters, steak and kidney pudding, pot-roasted pheasant, barnsley chop, suckling pig with baked apples, sausage and mash. Our first courses banished any regrets. My husbands generous slice of crab tart with pastry as crisp and fine as you could wish, its eggy filling set to a gentle wobble, and with an intense crabby taste - came with a good dollop of saffron cream. For me there was a mightly meaty beef tea, which came with a pillar of marrowbone standing in its centre. The bone was filled not with marrow but with punded shreds of the beef. Not a great idea, as it was full of small sharp shards - of bone? - but the soup was perfection.
Meanwhile, there was drama in the kitchen: it was alarming to watch an avalanche of salt being flung on the partridge that was coming our way, but the bird arrived cooked just pink and perfectly seasoned. It was served with bacon and salsify, lattice crisps, a sweet nubbly bread sauce and a jug of the self-same red wne gravy we remembered from our steaks. What joy, If I had known about the crisps, I would not have ordered these chips, said my husband, though he was soon dunking the huge wedges into the gravy jug. My fish and shellfish pie was detained for a twiddle under the hot lamps on the counter top, while a chef made a hole in its high-glazed pastry dome to pile in seafood. This finial-like flourish included a spike of (empty) razor-clam shell, four ancient prawns and a couple of whelks, one of which was carrying a solid wodge of wet sand - luckily it did not fall into the large chunks of fish and potato below, nor spoil the creamy sauce with its smoky taste. This was set off by a glass of a delicious Hautes Cotes de Nuits Bernard Ambroise burgundy.
As pudding time approached, and despite two greedy first courses we ordered a cambridge burnt cream rich and unctuous with black vanilla seeds and a lacy tissue of carmelised crunch, and a rice pudding, properly milky, but without the skin, and with stewed plums instead of the advertised damsons.
As we hoovered these up the kitchen suddenly erupted into frenzied action. At the relatively early hour of 9:50pm hobs were swabbed with soapy water so they hissed steam, ice was furiously shovelled from the seafood counter, grills were brushed and table were re-laid. This was the downside: it is fun to sit at your ease watching the cabaret provided by an open kitchen, but all this scrubbing brought to mind the end of a dinner=party, when Everest-like washing-up looms.
The upside was that we walked out into the night, past the terrace tables with their heart-stopping view of Wrens cathedral.
|
|
|
Matthew Normans account of his recent visit to Bovey Castle restaurant. Bovey Castle is in Dartmoor National Park
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Bradgate Park Leicestershire
|
|
|
|
|
Bradgate Park in Leicestershire is a well known and much loved visitor attraction. The Folly in the Park can be seen for miles around and the park is typical of an English country park where urbanites can escape the hurly burly of city life and breath som
|
|
|
|
Brighton & Hove has always done things differnetly. Rather than using a cathedral as it's focal point this city on South England's Coast has the Royal Pavillion, built in 1815.
|
|
|
|
Bristol a city built on its maritime past. An article by Jenny Spetter.
|
|
|
|
A history of Cliffords Tower for the English Travel Guide. An essential guide to this English Heritage attraction in York.
|
|
|
|
Croyde North Devon Village not far from Barnstable
|
|
|
|
Derby is compact city at the centre of England, full of history, art and – reputedly – ghosts
|
|
|
|
England has seen a high rise in tourism. Its main cities as well as its main coastal resorts have all benefited from this high rise...
|
|
|
|
England has some of the best traveling the world. This travel guide highlights all the best travel resources from travel associated with the countryside to city travel. Mix with English people, English folklore and travel in one of the finest....
|
|
|
|
English Travel Guide.com has been designed to provide a definitive easy to use travel companion for all your English Travel needs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
English Travel Guide and Jurys
|
|
|
|
|
English Travel Guide, the fastest growing Travel and Leisure website for England welcomes Jurys hotels to its growing family. Coupled to the English Travel Guides expanding list of attractions and features the leisure traveller and tourist can plan their
|
|
|
|
Cornwalls oldest surviving Tin mine, now a popular tourist attraction.
|
|
|
|
The effects on travel in England of a few heavy thunderstorms.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
HOLIDAY HOMES WITH A DIFFERENCE
|
|
|
|
|
An apparently normal family will arrive by open boat at a rented holiday cottage in Britain to find there is no hot water or electricity... and the only lighting is a box of candles. Amazingly, they’ll be delighted.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
London Tourist Information
|
|
|
|
|
London the capital city and major tourist attraction. A first stop on any travel, this major cosmopolitan city of the English speaking world. Population of just under eight million. This guide to the various sites to see is a must read in conjunction with
|
|
|
|
Matthew Norman s review on Luc s Brasserie London EC3.
Sunday Telegraph Magazine 21 November 2004.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
North York Moors National Park
|
|
|
|
|
A Visit to the North York Moors National Park
|
|
|
|
Elfreda Powell article from The Sunday Telegraph magazine 28 November 2004
|
|
|
|
Information on Penzance including hotels restaurants, attractions, museums and local points of interest. This market town is the Capital of west Cornwall and is a popular tourist attraction.
|
|
|
|
One of the wonders of the world. This ancient stone circle is managed by Englsh Heritage and is truely a must see site for any visitor to the UK.
|
|
|
|
Set in the far North Eastern corner of England this beautiful county borders Scotland to the North and the Industrial North East to the South. It has been designated an area of outstanding beauty.
|
|
|
|
Rye one of the Cinque port towns on the Sussex
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Battle of Hastings 1066
|
|
|
|
|
Fought between Harold, King of England and the Norman French under William at Battle in East Sussex. The battle occured on October 14th 1066. The Battle Abbey near Battle provides information on the event.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Lion King - Lyceum Theatre
|
|
|
|
|
Story of the Disney musical the Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre London. Search London Theatres for bookings.
|
|
|
|
Plan a visit to this spectacular forest and enjoy the peace and tranquility and wonderful scenery of this exquisite forest.
|
|
|
|
Article on The Close, the Organs and Bells of Winchester Cathedral
|
|
|
|
