Baldwins

The best lunch I ever had was in 2002 at Mrs Wilkes's Boarding House in Savannah, Georgia but yesterday's fayre at our local Baldwins Omega restaurant was not far behind. The basic cost was only £13.50 for a lovely three course meal but adding wine, pre-lunch drinks, coffee and a healthy tip did bump up the price.

I know that most bloggers exist on water, stale bread and mouldy cheese so imagine this:-

TO START YOU OFF:
CHEFS APPETISER OF THE DAY, CRUDITIES,
OUR FRESHLY BAKED BREAD & A JUG OF ICED WATER

A CHOICE OF STARTERS

ROAST BUTTERNUT SQUASH & COURGETTE SOUP
Fresh Soup made in our Kitchens with Chive Cream

SMOKED MACKEREL SALAD
Marinated Tomato & Onion Salad with
Smoked Mackerel & Sour Cream & Chives

MELON & AUTUMN BERRIES
Ripe Melon with Autumn Berries

CHOICE OF MAIN COURSES

SLOW COOKED SHOULDER OF LAMB
With Seasoned Yorkshire Pudding & Lamb Jus

ST ANDREWS SALMON & CHIVE FISHCAKE
With Chips, Garden Peas & Sauce Doria

AUBERGINE PARMIGIANA
A Classic dish of Grilled Aubergines, Tomatoes, Shallots - Baked in the Oven and Topped with Parmesan Gratinee

CHOICE OF DESSERT FROM THE A LA CARTE DESSERT MENU

- I chose home-made profiteroles with strawberries and hot chocolate sauce

TO ROUND OFF YOUR LUNCH
MAY WE SUGGEST OUR COFFEE MENU

FRESH FILTER COFFEE
BOTTOMLESS POT
£2.25

NESPRESSO COFFEES
£2.60 PER CUP

CAPPUCCINO, LATTE, ESPRESSO & AMERICANO
ALSO AVAILABLE IN DECAFFINATED

Frances worked at Baldwins as a silver service waitress from the age of fourteen and we have known the bar manager, Jamie since she was a baby. In fact he used to babysit for us when he was a teenager. We

also knew all of yesterday's waiting staff and we were honoured to have the owner - Mr David Baldwin in the luncheon room too but he's looking unwell these days and has lost a good deal of weight.

Our old friends - John and Irene - enjoyed the lunch as much as we did. Afterwards they came back to our house for a cup of tea. It's so nice to have friends you can talk to without uncomfortable pauses or any sense that there may be a current of judgmentalism swirling quietly and insidiously between the lines. And of course our special lunch marked and celebrated Shirley's new status as a Master of Science!

By the way - just in case you were wondering - the seasoned Yorkshire Pudding was of course delightful and much appreciated by all the other diners in the sunny luncheon room!