Though I planned to have dinner there, finding the evening fully booked I opted instead to have lunch at No 9 Church Street. Stratford was awash with day visitors and short break stay-cation takers many of whom had let the sun get to their brains and had lost the ability to measure 1 metre. Notably there were the middle-aged couples whose hands were glued together and had not the ability to walk single file for a few seconds while passing someone walking in the opposite direction on a narrow pavement. And as usual there were the problematic Lycra garbed cyclists who do not understand the difference between a pathway and a roadway and with their middle-class sense of entitlement drove furiously at any man or beast in their way. There were also the daytrippers who were obviously from the inner city of one of the West Midlands metropolises not all from the same household who can’t count to 6 or choose not to and then complain that their communities have experienced an unfair degree of visitation by that which shall not be named here. No wonder that the Stratford locals view the tourists as a curse and a blessing in not exactly equal measures.
And everyone was partying in the broadest sense of the word on the Chancellor of The Exchequer’s bountiful generosity on the taxpayer’s behalf - whoever the taxpayer may be - oh look I’m one of them - the Eat Out To Help Out campaign. So I partied too. And you can’t help but party on 3 courses plus coffee for just £15 at No 9 Church Street.
Well of course the Chancellor hasn’t gone completely doolally so alcohol has to be paid for without the taxpayer’s help but that did not stop me being soothed by a pleasing Hendricks and tonic joyously garnished with minute cubes of cucumber. After a couple of slices of good bread accompanied by both butter or olive oil, I’m a butter man myself, the starter of smoked gammon on a bed of Romesco sauce with a heavy leaf fall of rocket rising high above everything else was delivered to my table and flavours, apart from the rocket, were not strong. Though rocket is an arch-enemy of mine here it worked generally well with the other parts of the dish and not too many leaves were left on the plate when I hung up my knife and fork.
And on to the main course which arrived in its own good time - a finely grilled pork loin chop with 2 vegs (a satisfactory mashed potato and nicely cooked shreds of hispi cabbage) with a thyme jus. The pork was a lordly-sized piece of meat and very tender and highly commendable but did it need a little more seasoning? - I thought so. And am I being a little ungracious in saying that the dish would have been made more merry with some accompanying apple; pork and apple, why else would pigs live in orchards? But how can one feel unhappy with generously-portioned fine starters and main courses for just £10. Gift horses and mouths come to mind.
I’m sorry to say that I really did not get the dessert. Vanilla-poached peaches with lots and lots of whipped cream and toasted almonds plating the the top of it. I really could not eat all the cream. And finally, also included in the £15 price, a good cup of coffee and an appealing little nutty petit four.
Thank you Taxpayer, Chancellor, Chef and the wonderful Front of House restaurant manager, Magdalena, for a meal of great good value at No. 9. The changes there retain the cosiness of the restaurant whilst ensuring a feeling of safety in the face of that which will not be named. A nice comfortable lunch.
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