Friday 8 November 2013

Pub food


I’m trying to think of a way of creating a French version of a business in Clacton; to whit ‘The French Cafe,’ (without an acute accent). The French Cafe is a curiously English sort of French Cafe. There is no notion of French cuisine whatsoever, the delicacies on offer being large mugs of tea and coffee, fried English breakfasts and sausage or bacon sandwiches.

How someone came up with the name is a complete mystery. No-one working there is French, even the tables are traditional wrought iron pub tables. The only concession to France is the half dozen impressionist prints on the wall. 

Back in Sauve, I’d like to open a traditional English pub. I’d call it the ‘Le vieux taureau et l’arbuste.’ * My pub will only serve all the things which you would expect from an enterprise bearing such a name. Pastis, steak-frites and confit de canard would definitely be on the carte and for the daily plates we could have those perennial English pub favourites of frogs legs and snails in garlic butter. 

The decor would feature prints by Constable, Turner and the odd Pre-Raphaelite and someone playing the accordion, (button, not piano), would be a must to ensure an authentic atmosphere.

Bon appétit mate.

* The old bull and bush.

1 comment:

  1. Sounds excellent, mind you I think all of the Pre-Raphaelites were a bit odd.

    ReplyDelete