“I am not a number! I am a free man!
“YOU ARE NUMBER SIX!”
Talking of weddings, it was our sixth anniversary in the middle of them all and we celebrated, as has become customary, with a special meal together.
My dreams of winning Masterchef may have been shelved, for now, but the traditions of our enjoying fine dining together once a year are upheld every April; planned months in advance, with every mouthful savoured and memories cherished.
Before we married we had a few memorable evenings at special places; Fergus Henderson’s St. John (bone marrow, eel, hare… all glorious) and the Carriage Works here in LPL as well as Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles in New York. But, it really all started at L’Ortolan in Reading. A wedding present and introduction to the world of the sommelier, expertly matching wine for our enjoyment.
First anniversary? Negresco in Nice. Waiter was Franck, looked after us so well as Lisa was ‘enceinte’ and I had a wonderful steak tartare made tableside.
Second? L’Enclume. Unforgettable attention to detail and so many things of beauty.
Third was at Manchester House. Really well looked after, very clever combinations and an hour in the company of chef patron afterwards.
Fourth… Northcote. I got a tour of the kitchen as compensation for – pregnant again – wifey being sick. The food was amazing, by the way.
Adam Reid at The French in Manchester was the fifth, and arguably the best yet. Dramatic and theatrical, with a stunning soundtrack to match and again, what a great guy.
All of which meant that our lunch at Wreckfish had a lot to live up to… and boy, did it deliver.
Walking in, I saw they had Inedit on draught. A beer created by the great Ferran Adria to accompany pretty much any meal, this was the first time I’d seen it on tap so I already had a good feeling.
Something magical happened before the meal, so now, it’s my new favourite restaurant.
When we were discussing the paint colour as an option for our house exterior, and I saw one of my all-time heroes walk past the window, I kind of knew this was going to be an unforgettable couple of hours.
We ordered food and wine and were impressed by the relaxed vibe of the place. Very ‘bistro-y’ with an open kitchen and extremely welcoming, which you’d expect from a place launched via crowdfunding. Friends have eaten and been impressed by the sister ventures over the water, and I’d been impressed by Gary Usher (as well as his tattoos) on the TV and in interviews, plus with an upcoming Prescot addition to the family.
You can assist in the crowdfunding of Pinion… find out more here
The value of the fare on offer was incredible, too, especially given the quality of what we were about to receive.
We’d had a drink beforehand in the converted church that featured in The Golden Vision, so it was appropriate that – for what we were about to eat – we were truly thankful.
Starters, then… Ox heart like I’d never tasted; burrata and wild garlic sauce which was both soft and vibrant, green, punchy. Mains? I opted for the braised featherblade of beef with celeriac puree and buttered hispi – the most amazing bit of cabbage I’ve eaten since holidays at my grandparents -and WW opted for the Confit duck leg with an amazing pearl barley broth and kale. All accompanied by the most decadent and moreish parmesan and truffle chips.
The heart sang; the stomachs smiled in agreement.
Service was excellent, too, and we can’t wait to go back.
No room for desserts, we indulged ourselves in a double espresso and a cuddle of a baby with a couple on the next table who’d travelled over from Leeds for the experience. They, like us, were savouring every moment, every mouthful, and made us want to rush home to the kids but recognise how lucky we were to have had the opportunity to enjoy the couple of hours – and courses – as much as we did.
All in all, a perfect way to celebrate our six years of wedded bliss. We even receive some heavenly fudge and honeycomb, to acknowledge the ‘sweet / sugar’ symbolism.
In summary – just in case anyone wasn’t sure – I would urge anyone with tastebuds, an interest in supporting independent ventures or just a free couple of hours for a memorable experience, to go to Wreckfish.