Dinner at the Harwood Arms
The Harwood arms continues to quietly offer one of the nicest dining experiences in West London. Without being flashy, it offers carefully cooked food, a thoughtful wine list and excellent service. We went through the following, wines, all served blinds. I brought a bottle of 2009 Chardonnay VV from Pierre Overnoy in the Jura. Pierre Overnoy recalls how he was treated ‘like an extra-terrestrial’ in the early 1990s when he was first making wine without sulphur additions. Now he has become one of the legends of an area that is getting increasingly exposed. This bottle was in great shape, showing …
Recherche du Fish and Chips Perdus
As we were ambling in the general direction of Baileys I was saying that there was a glass-ceiling on Fish and Chips. Unless you are beside the sea, there is a limit as to how good it can be. How wrong was I. Baileys in Fulham was a total revelation. One tiny room with mirrors so you can see how terrible you look shovelling chips in your mouth. A menu of all of the classic staples, including picked eggs and food that is as good as it gets. As good as fried food gets anyway. Which is pretty good. Perfectly …
The Golden Age
There’s a moment in the recent Woody Allan film Midnight in Paris where the Owen Wilson character goes back in time to the age he adores, 1930’s Paris. Whilst there, he falls in love with a woman, only to find out that for her, the Belle Epoque was the time she wanted to be alive in. She didn’t like the 1930’s. She wanted to go back too. The point you take out of this is that you never think you’re living in the best time, or even a good one sometimes, but you are. This is more true for wine …
More than a few glasses at Brunswick House
My first visit to Jackson Boxer’s characterful and cheerful conversion of part of Lasscos architecture salvage showroom was not quite what I expected. Largely as I was only due to be there for an hour or two before heading north for another meal, not as it turned out, stumbling into a taxi close to midnight after drinking wine what seemed like hectolitres of red wine. As the lips stained, dignity turned pale. Jackson joined us for a few glasses and very generously pulled some beautiful bottles from his personal cellar proving his adage: ‘As I get older, I like my …
Thomas Pico’s brilliant Chablis
Thomas Pico (Domaines Pattes Loup) Chablis Villages 2012 As I get older I tend to find I get less fixed on certain idea’s and more circumspect about things. Whether this is a good or bad thing probably depends on the scenario but I hope it reflects growing knowledge more than it does indecisiveness. One wine I do feel strongly about though is Chablis. To me, it is the most over-rated of all of the fine wines of France. There are four of five domains I like and feel make good wines, the rest I’m totally happy to ignore. Outside of …