yvonne johnson

Michael Frayn again.

Anything by Jonathan Coe. A very fine writer. And funny too. I don't think many can match him.

Stayed here last weekend, and was delighted all round. Owners Kevin and Jacki Mangeolles do a marvellous job being hosts and deal with the organization of the small restaurant (seats around 25?), rooms, and hospitality with aplomb. The meal was truly satisfying: hard to describe, but it was measured with precision in terms of flavors (not confusing or fussy, yet you didn't get tired of eating more). Unlike some tasting menus where you get tired out and the meal goes downhill after a few courses, this managed to fire on all cylinders with the venison dish. Highly recommended. Lovely part of the

Went to see BSP and Editors at UEA last week. BSP were good but not as energetic as they were before at a UEA Norwich smaller venue a few months ago and they need not have been b/c they outshone Editors this night. Oh well, just goes to show that the lead band (Editors) can be the lesser of the two.

Norfolk has only two Michelin starred restaurants. The Neptune in Old Hunstanton is one (yet to try), and Morston Hall is the other. Stayed at Morston Hall last week and I liked it a lot, but not in the ways I expected. The website makes the place and gardens unattractive, in my view, but on getting there it felt inviting. Particularly attractive is a small herb garden with little hedges and wrens flying about. Galton Blackiston knows how to cook and has been doing so for at least 21 years at the same place. It's a 7.30 for 8 PM arrangement with all guests sitting down (after drinks and am

Remember Miracle Grill on the E Side? Early 1990s? Flay was really good. He continued to be good but the press went off him b/c he became too commercial. I did too but for other reasons, mainly inconsistency.

That was a fun trip.

Where to put this? Malcolm Gladwell being his usual whiny self. (Mind you, the entire programme is very annoying.) http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b038bxfd

The chef is very generous. But if so generous that one can't enjoy the second half of the menu b/c of too big portions in the first half, then I think something needs to be tweaked. I agree the service, atmosphere, etc --if that's what you refer to in the "little things" --are spot on. I liked my meal a lot in places and I think the restaurant deserves at least one Michelin star, but as a whole the meal was out of balance.

I'm with the late Tuckerman on this restaurant. We went in 2008 and G liked it a lot more than I did. http://mouthfulsfood.com/forums/index.php/topic/15301-a-cambridge-miscellany/?p=889493 The same happened again last week. Interestingly what Tuckerman liked so much 7 years ago is still fab: green pea soup with prawns. I thought it lacked interest from then on: the scallops were wonderful, big and meaty, but the skate was overly greasy for my taste. The accompaniments with perfectly cooked quail were over rich. There was just too much food (choice b/w 7 and 10 courses only--no a la ca

No, G stayed home --just me and my chum. He has no inclination to go to Copenhagen. Can't move for BEETS.

A couple of blocks south of Vesterbro Metro which we didn't use. And around 1/2hr walk NW of central station.

Spent most of last week in Copenhagen with an old friend. Overall, I thought the food was very good. Radio This was my favorite meal. Scallop / Spring Cabbage / Mustard / Cress Cod / Cucumber / Horseradish / Seaweed Fennel / Høost / Capers / Parsley Veal Flank / Onion / More Onion Rhubarb / Beetroot / Malt / Milk Five courses 400 dkk Three courses 300 dkk The baby scallops were sweet and beautifully seared; the cabbage and mustard lightened the dish. The cod dish was cold (on purpose) and delicate. I could’ve eaten a huge plate of the fennel on its own—it was

I found that last piece a little disturbing. There's a risk he'll give the impression that poring over a dictionary to improve specific words and phrases in a fourth draft is something expected of writers. I should think it's a very rare practice indeed. Not read the articles. But improving on words and phraseology in a 4th draft? I'd have thought that might lead to stilted writing. Maybe more people do this than I'd imagined and that explains why some sentences leap off the page as just wrong.

Yeah, the Met gala. I imagine a pre-gala dinner with Kardashian & West and Wintour telling her to wear that awful floral thinking knowing how hideous the dress was. Wintour looks ok in a youthful floral, but it's a bit insipid, me thinks.