Pichet

We decide to celebrate the aforementioned birthday with a dinner for two at Pichet on trinity street about which much had been written since it opened, most of it very good. For the evening that was in it, rather than have a pint in a pub beforehand we opted to go all posh and have a glass of wine in the winebar in the basement of Fallon & Byrne, which belied the "recession" by being jammed.

Herself made a bold choice, a Pinotage Viognier mix from Fairview in South Africa, which was delicious - fruity and smoky, although perhaps enough at one glass, YHB would find it a little cloying to drink a whole bottle. I chose a Capezanna Barco Reale Di Carmignano a Tuscan (super?) with a nice mix of fruit and tannins.

Then off to the main event in Pichet. Firstly the food was superb and very reasonably priced, we had 2 glasses of Champagne , a 500ml Pichet of Barbera d'Alba, 2 starters, 2 mains, one dessert (I'm watching my figure), a coffee and a green tea for less then a hundred notes. I had heard the service could be patchy but ours was very good, perhaps because main man Nick was on duty,

btw - the deep fried hen's egg starter is justifiably famous.

On an unrelated note, I must have been a nicer person in a past life cos two people have just dropped in presents. BigWop just called in with an 18yo Bowmore from Islay and my eldest bro popped by after with a selection of nine carefully selected wines from himself, my sister and my youngest bro, all from Oddbins. There are some very nice wines indeed in this selection which will form the basis of my next post.

Tonight its off to the pub to get slaughtered with the laws, in-laws, and anybody else who wants to come.