Pretty flash huh? Actually the 10-hour journey back from Lugano to Nottingham was a bloody nightmare. I got up and found myself barely able to walk after a day's climbing in the Alps on Thursday. I only just managed to drag my case and laptop up the hill to the bus station in time to catch the bus to Milan. The bus journey was full of anxiety, taking 2 hours instead of the advertised 45 minutes and I arrived at the airport with only 30 minutes before the departure of my Easyjet flight. Of course the flight was then delayed for an hour and a half and I began to visualise the chain of connections toppling like dominos and leaving me stranded overnight in an airport lounge on my birthday.
But thankfully I made it back and managed to freshen up in time to chill some fizz for pre-dinner drinks before our guests arrived.
Dinner at Merchants redeemed the day. There were eight of us and though it wasn't really possible to sample everybody's food I congratulate myself on my own choice. The beef fillet ravioli was infused with truffle oil which seemed almost to make me high. The fillet of brill was... brill. Everybody seemed on excellent form and the wine and conversation flowed late into the night. So late in fact that some time after midnight we were asked to retire to the bar so that they could set our table for breakfast.
The bill came in at £357, a number which at the time resisted all my attempts to divide it by eight and which appeared rather alarming. I've now done the sums and can reveal that the answer is about £44 a head which was very good value for food and wine of this quality.
I was about to conclude that Merchants had finally beaten Harts in the battle for the top slot in Nottingham but wouldn't you know it - Harts has just re-invented itself and I'm invited to a champagne and canape reception for the relaunch on Wednesday, so judgement is reserved for now.
NB. The top slot in Nottingham almost certainly really belongs to the Michelin-starred Restaurant Sat Bains which I really must revisit as soon as I can face their heart-stopping bills again.
1 comments:
Can't wait to hear about the new Harts... but for my money, Merchants overtook it quite some time ago. Excellent place.
Post a Comment