349. Gulp - Dogs Dinner.

 

  Gulp is about experiences with a touch of hearty home cooking thrown in. This was to be a very special ‘experience’ - Sunday lunch with Lucy The Labrador in Gulp’s dining room up the narrow, steep stairs in an old factory in the deepest Jewellery Quarter. How exciting and even more so when we discovered that the steps were too steep for Lucy, quite aged, to get up. A fellow diner however came to the rescue and carried her up and carried her down after the meal was over. She took it in her stride, serenity glowed from her face as she was borne up and down in ladylike style. Another diner said she was like Dame Judy Dench. Lucy would be quite pleased about that, I think, if she knew who Dame Judy Dench was.

  After a welcome from Kaye Winwood, the mastermind behind Gulp, and Matt O’Callaghan, the chef (see Blog 308) we settled in the lovely dining room, possibly the most atmospheric in the city, with the other dogs, including three beagles, all excitedly socialising while Dame Judy calmly took her place under the table and the humans chatted and waited for the food. Dogs rightly were served first - a cool broth - while their humans received a delicious clear warm broth in a glass. First rate.

  Next came ‘Bone’ - the dogs were brought a tempting chunk of chicken while the humans received an excellent chicken liver pâté on 2 slices of bone-shaped toast. What fun!

  And then the highlight for man and beast alike. Our main courses were served in cans highly suggestive of tinned dog food. Lucy consumed her’s in the wink of an eye which was wise as the rest of the canine guests were wolfing down their own meal and then rapidly setting about mopping anything else that was lying about. For the humans, a miraculously delicious chicken casserole with, oh joy, peas and carrots and sauté potatoes. My only reservation about the meal was that I wouldn’t have minded, like Oliver, some more. 

  The dogs and the humans both had jelly and ice cream to finish. The strawberry jelly and the strawberry ice cream were delicious (there was also chocolate ice cream) and neither I nor Lucy can comment on the dog’s dessert as one of the beagles moved in on Lucy’s dish before she could make a move on it and scoffed it all up. With the dignity of Dame Judy, Lucy ignored the bad behaviour of that particular bounder. Dogs, eh?

Rating:- 🌞.