St John’s Chop House; 4 Dec 09 December 5, 2009
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It was a bit of a squeeze to get in because the St John’s Chop House, in common with most other restaurants this month, is heavily booked for Christmas parties. However get in we did and we had a fine table upstairs close to our own ‘private’ bar!
I remember the time when there was no a restaurant on the site where the Chop House now trades. In the mid 60s there was a grocer’s shop but it was then reinvented as an Italian restaurant: the Bistro Italo. This was a sister restaurant to theVino Bistro in Mill Road and both restaurants offered ’sophisticated’ fare at affordable prices. I remember 3 course lunches for ten shillings and a dinner for 2 including wine for three quid.
There’s a gap in my knowledge of about 30 years but I do know that in the Mid 90s it was Michel’s, a rather up market establishment, then Prezzo, pasta and pizza, before becoming St John’s earlier this year.
Inside it is what you’d expect of a chop house: plain wood, cool lighting and, what has now become de rigeur, black uniformed serving staff. The service was good: efficient and attentive. And there’s an excellent wine list with most wines available by the glass.
And food? Starters are modest and heavily salad based. The salads where pleasantly aromatic. The menu of mains was maybe disappointing. It’s a chop house so where are the chops? Fair enough there was a pork chop, pronounced excellent by one of our number, but no lamb chops. I’d have expected at least a Barnsley Chop.
5 out of our 6 were happy. My steak was excellent and the hand cut chips were impressively variable. Two sea bass were fine, the pork chop was good as noted above and the lady who took the suet dish pronounced it excellent. The disappointment was the goose: chewy and dry. Perhaps an aberration.
The desert menu is very heavy and certainly after a suet pudding you can’t handle a toffee pudding. Perhaps the next version could be a little lighter. But there is a real coffee machine and the espresso was just fine. £30 a head, including service, is not a bad deal.
Hawarden GS reunion; 20 Nov 09 November 28, 2009
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The third Friday in November is a regular date for Hawarden Grammar School old pupils from the late 50s/early 60s to meet, reminisce and exaggerate. I’m not a great person for staying in touch which I regret so this year I went. (more…)
Cafe Cienfuegos, Cuba; 14 Nov 09 November 21, 2009
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Nobody goes to Cuba for the food. In restaurants the choice is generally chicken, fish or meat and the meat is usually pork.You get some salad (good) and some vegetables cooked English ie over-cooked (bad). And for dessert it always seems to be flan. But the Cafe Cienfuegos is different. (more…)
Hotel Riviera, Bournemouth; 19-22 Sep 09 October 10, 2009
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A couple of years ago I’d never been to Bournemouth, now I’ve been 3 times and it’s a resort to be recommended. This time I stayed at the Hotel Riviera on West Cliff. (more…)
Jersey Boys, 12 Sep 09 September 13, 2009
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Yesterday we went to London. Birthday treat to see the Jersey Boys. Being a child of the 60s the Four Seasons are of my era and being of a contrary nature I was always inclined to favour them over the Beatles. Which is not so say that I didn’t like them as well. (more…)
Deja vu but disappointed; 3-6 Aug 09 August 9, 2009
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I’m not what you’d call a petrol-head. I don’t watch Top Gear but that’s mainly because it’s become too overtly an anti climate change concern program instead of one which highlights engineering excellence and promotes the thrills and pleasures of driving without the excesses. But then perhaps it’s the excesses which turn the petrol-heads on. (more…)
LGA conference Harrogate; 30 Jun to 2 Jul 09 July 5, 2009
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It was 12 months ago that I started this blog. It was meant to complement my political web-site which thanks to the kind electorate of Cottenham, Histon and Impington is required to continue. And thanks to my fellow Lib Dem councillors on Cambridgeshire County Council I am starting my 3rd year as group leader and so I was able to attend the LGA conference. Which is where this blog started 12 months ago. (more…)
I didn’t watch the cup final; 30 May 09 June 1, 2009
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Every month I write a monthly report. I do it because I’m a county councillor and it keeps the parish councils in my division up to date with what I do. I finish every report with a personal item. I thought you might like to read the one I wrote yesterday. You can read the full monthly report (not recommended) at www.davidjenkins.org.uk. (more…)
The Beehive, Horringer; 24 Apr 09 April 25, 2009
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The Guardian yesterday ran an article about Suffolk for the benefit of Roy Keane who’s just taken over the manger’s role at Ipswich. It talked of sheep and tractors and contrasted the pace of Suffolk life with that of Manchester and that part of Cheshire beloved of its footballers. (more…)
The Pheasant at Keyston; 30 Mar 09 March 30, 2009
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For collectors of meaningless trivia: if you want to find a restaurant midway between Histon and Market Harborough go to Keyston. Keystonis just oof the A14 west of Huntingdon and it strikes me as a rather affluent village. The blue bins mark it out as being in Huntingdonshire and it boasts a fine church, a manor house and a fine restaurant at the Pheasant. (more…)
