Went out for a meal with Selina and Graham at the Old Trout in Thame. Stayed there most of the evening. The meal we had was good, not excellent, I suppose because it was from the Telegraph special.
The place was reasonably busy, some tables being used more than once during the evening. Service was generally prompt but not intrusive.
Today, thought we would treat ourselves to lunch in Oxford, using the Pear Tree park & ride. Rosemary as usual insisted we had the front two offside seats on the upper deck of the double decker “ride” bus. First stop was the Ashmolean Museum to see a temporary exhibition called Spectacular Miracles: Images of Supernatural Power. Umm, to us a very odd exhibition of recent photographs of statues and pictures believed to be capable of supernatural powers, from shrines in and near the city of Genoa. I am afraid Oxford does not do temporary exhibitions as well as the Cambridge where we both saw an excellent exhibition of illuminated manuscripts back in September at the Fitzwilliam.
We arrived at Petit Blanc for our luncheon. A very slim, cute, French waitress seated us. This being the festive season, their good value menu prix fixe was not available, being replaced with a Christmas menu. We decided to eat off their a la carte menu.
We started with an aperitif of Ricard, while we studied and dithered over the menu. Rosemary started with the Bleu des Basques cheese, chicory and pear salad, and I am always tempted by terrine, so had to have the foie gras, Lincolnshire pork and Armagnac prune terrine with apple chutney. These dutifully arrived on their white bowls (to our great glee, because they were rather like the ones we just lashed out on) and were consumed with great gusto. Rosemary is definitely going to try to make the salad at home.
For the main dish, Rosemary selected char grilled Lincolnshire pork escalope with harrissa & lemon butter (which she promptly got down her jumper, having threatened me with dire consequences should I be so careless), while I had pan-fried calves liver, sage & shallot mousseline with pan juices. The liver was cooked rare and was delicious, a special treat as I very rarely have liver at home.
We finished together with crème caramel and espresso coffee and after paying walked back to Oddbins to buy some fizzy GF Cavalier wine for the festive season.
Another sunny, but cold day in Edinburgh. My room looks towards Arthur’s Chair, and I saw the sun rise around the side of Duddingston Loch. Times like this I wish I had my camera with me.
Petite Paris for the evening meal, not seen the waitress there for a while, must ask where she is. Could be working in their other restaurant which opened this year.
Had a full meal:
Today the weather was poor. Drizzle some of the days. Had to provide the bank with some estimates for the work I am doing. I believe they thought the work would take several weeks, but I will easily have it written and tested by the end of next week. By the end of the day I feel well on target.
Back to the hotel, hoped to log on to the free Internet access from the Thai Restaurant. Could see the router, but got no where beyond that. So over to the bar with laptop. Apparently they had unplugged the wireless LAN because they needed the link downstairs, and the wireless LAN does not reach through the concrete floor.
Had a couple of pints while surfing, and then a Thai meal. Went for non spicy hot vegetarian in the hope there would be no dire results. Writing this the next day I can say so far so good.
When requesting a hotel, I will look favorably on the Holyrood hotel, but only if I can get a room on the West side, preferably room numbers near the Thai Restaurant (209, 211, 213, 215, 217), and similar rooms on the third floor.
Today decided on a Thai. While I was in the hotel I discovered an open Wireless LAN I could use. The LAN identified itself as Thai is good. So looked around the hotel, there must be a Thai restaurant. Yes there was. Its near Holyrood in the TUN, and is called th Erawan Restaurant. It was actually a restaurant and bar. Serving Thai food and has a nice modern bar.
I decided on a hot spicy Thai salad. Very nice, but in hind sight I should have gone for a mild non spicy vegetarian meal.
Spent the evening using their free wireless LAN from the hotel. Think I will be staying in this hotel in the future, though have to request rooms on the West side.
The happiness of the holiday was at an end, all those Chillies, and the water in Istanbul came to their revenge, but still had to be up early for the flight to Scotland and the bank.
Took it easy on the Monday, a few pints at lunch time in Tiles to watch the Oval match. Should have arrived earlier, our fortunes took a real rise, over 40 runs in under the hour. In the evening, the security guard was unhappy, he was not looking forward to all the crowing from the English.
Supper off the the Mussel and Steak Bar. Started off with a kebab, tuna I think, then had a huge steak. Bit of a stupid thing to do with the dickey tummy. No alcohol though, very restrained.
Mixed day, started sunny, then pissed with rain. What am I to wear, shirtsleeves, my artic weather gear, my Summer wear. After work, gave up on guessing the rain showers. Figured out I was inside most of the time, and it didn’t really take long to dry out.
Started of badly in the evening with Neil, some sob story about leaving his keys in the wife’s handbag, Wednesday being the day she was out at some meeting. First time he had heard of this. I admit this all does sound rather familiar, why do wife’s do this to us. So a few pints with him at the down at ????????
Then on to Grassmarket and the Petit Paris. Hey, they remembered me, the French waiter was there and the spiky haired waitress. Where had I been, it was over six months since I had been there. I was given a Pernod and some nuts as an aperitif.
So what did I eat, the Goats Cheese wrapped in filo pastry, followed with salmon and fresh water crawfish.
Then it was back to the hotel. Quick visit through Whistle Binkies to see what was happening, but no drinks.
The day started off sunny as I walked into work. The evening started to rain. After work I met up with Ed for a drink on the High Street just opposite the Raddison hotel. Off then for and Indian meal at the Suruchi. Very hard menu to read, been written in Scottish.
Afterwards we had a drink at Whistle Binkies.
I have started back at my favourite customer. Yes they wanted me back and I am here back in Edinburgh as the Festival starts.
Caught the Easyjet up to Edinburgh from Luton on a bright sunny morning, arriving well ahead of schedule. I managed to wake up in time to see Arthur’s Seat and the Castle as we prepared to land. I even spied the runway as we turned over the Forth.
On the way in from the airport, I see the RBS buildings are complete, and seem to be occupied.
Didn’t get out to supper till late, the Petit Paris was full so I tried a new restaurant called the Mussel & Steak, the place was in Grassmarket and I took a fancy to it as I walked by. They too were full but could accommodate me later.
Went back and was ushered to a table upstairs. They do a mixture of seafood, shellfish and meat. I asked the man ushering me, if the place was related to the Mussel inn on Rose Street. No relation at all, except he had managed the Mussel inn for over 6 years. This was his venture.
Started off with some fresh oysters, followed by the fish of the day, blackened bream. The meal was very nice, and the waitresses were very chatty and amusing. Responding to my gasping words on being asked how dinner was with, “ we only ask when your mouth is full”.
The downstairs restaurant has full view of the kitchen, while those upstairs are able to see what is happening through video screens and several webcams.
After eating a quick visit to Whistle Binkies,. Monday is open mike night. The singing from the audience far exceeded the poor hapless minstrel on the stage.
Web address https://www.musselandsteakbar.com
Visit to Oxford ostensibly to see 1000 years of botanical paintings at the Ashmolean. Surprisingly (well, to us) many were from the last 20-30 years and not what R expected, such as Marianne North. We liked best the ones of leaves and cones.
But then S remembered – the Oxford Petit Blanc brassiere. We have been there before, but wanted to see what it was like now that Loch Fyne Restaurants have an interest. The restaurant looked pretty much as it did before, service was good, and prompt.
Went for the well-priced Prix Fixe, which was very reasonable and provided us with some good food. With coffees and a bottle of wine
R went for the :
S went for the: