Took a mate out to the Oxo Tower for their birthday yesterday. He's as much of a foodie (God, I hate that word) as I am so we had a great time salivating over the menu and swapping food.
I started with Venison hache (like a burger) with quails egg (fried - it looked so cute - like a dolls house sized egg) and red cabbage (which I left cos I don't like red cabbage). My mate had salmon confit with seaweed and oyster which was gorgeous.
Then, I went for the traditional roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. I've never had beef that's so tender - no pressure at all required to slice it. The Yorkshire pudding was seriously impressive - perfectly puffed up (although I'm a pleb really - much prefer stodgy Yorkshire pud with sugar.) I left my vegetables because they were too salty and I like being a grown up cos it means you can leave your veg.
He had quail with foie gras risotto. I've never had foie gras before - the old liberal thing of thinking of force-fed geese putting me off - but had a taste and it was really good in an obscenely rich kind of way.
But the pudding was where things got really impressive. We went for a cheese plate and a caramelised banana with Baileys parfait. The parfait was so good that we were both in awe; eyes closed in semi-orgasmic pleasure. Usually, when I eat out, I can figure out how to make whatever I eat there at home. I'd have no idea how to make the parfait - although I do want to get a blow torch for caramelising things. Though I'm somewhat nervous after my last experience. The cheese was incredible too - one subtley smoked cheese, a sheeps milk cheese that was kind of like brie and a blue cheese that I didn't try, as I loathe the stuff, but was apparently really good.
It may cost a fortune but it was definitely worth it.
Posted by emilyd at April 07, 2003 05:25 PM