Two Dogs Menu Tasting
We don't know what we had expected but the menu tasting at Pollock Halls defied our wildest flights of feasting fancy.
After a brief wait, Adele of the Events team escorted us to one of the original old buildings with dark wood pannels and two oil-paintings of old scholars having a staring competition (no doubt leading to the respective hidden dormitories of the Houses of Cattleprod and Knickerdrawer). In the middle was our white linin table. With the odd brassy flourish floating in from a Tattoo band performing next door, we met the chef (who double checked that we were sharing each course and didn't actually want to be served one each) and Fraser the waiter (v. tall).
*For pictures of the dishes, have a look at the menu page. We're just putting the silly ones up here.
The bread was yum (and Rob says satisfactory by German standards)- we only had the tomato one to taste but Fraser said there would be a white one and an olive one (Sarah: bleh!) and another one, probably wheaty or oaty, we don't remember, and possibly also another.
Rob made an exception to his pescatarianism for a course to make sure you chicken chompers don't get shafted. The smoked chicken and mango salad with a rasberry chilli dressing was 'a nice succulent cold meat and, because it's smoked, is reminiscent of a German smoked sausage,' says Rob, 'and lighter than the panna cotta. The mango and rasbetty worked well (like cranberry goes with turkey).'
Au suivant!
Rob's main course was herb crusted salmon with a pea puree and pumpkin oil: 'well cooked piece of salmon with a nice bit of breadcrumb on the top and the pumkin oil set it off very nicely.' Potatoes smashing as potatoes generally are.
You know the crusty bit of cheese that is the most delectable part of any cheesy dish. Well, this chef is a man after Sarah's own cheesy little heart. The wild mushroom risotto with grilled asparagus spears, parmesan shavings and white truffle oil, apart from being pretty amazing on it's own, has a great slab of crusty CHEESE poking right out of it. This wedding is going to be delicious.
The drambuie and stem ginger cranachan in a brandy snap basket (v Scottish and one of our favourite desserts) was a delightful finish to a meal that when by so, so quickly. It's creamy and oaty balanced with fruity and whisky (not too strong).
Rob decidedly more elegant with his cafe and petit fours.
And there you have it. Now we just have to dream away our food depression (sadness that inevitably follows heavenly feasting) with visions of the super awesome wedding to come.
Oh, and we're no connisseurs and only tried the white, but thought the wine was fine, as well.