Success is getting what you want; happiness is liking what you get

Saturday, 22 May 2010

Daddie's Favourite at the Gamekeeper

We dined out at The Carvery last night and enjoyed a very reasonably priced meal of pumpkin soup, roast pork and roast vegetables, and chocolate pudding. Adorning the walls of the dining room were old fashioned posters from days gone by of various condiments, and I spotted the poster of “Daddie’s Favourite Sauce”. This brought back memories of our stay in Caernarfon, Wales, in 1999. “Bryn Helen”, our B & B, was a beautiful listed house which overlooked Caernarfon Castle. We stayed there for several days and a bottle of Daddie’s Favourite always graced the table each morning while we tucked into our “Full Welsh Breakfast”, consisting of bacon, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes.

DSCF3562 Memories of Wales

Although the restaurant has been trading as The Carvery for quite some time, it was previously run as The Gamekeeper, and still has that feel about it. The green and red tartan carpet lend a Scottish air to the establishment, and the frosted glass doors are etched with a pair of pheasants in flight. A stuffed pheasant and a mallard duck are arranged on top of the river stone fireplace.

DSCF3566

Keeping a beady eye on this pair of tasty birds is snarling albino ferret, looking like it is ready to launch itself onto one of these game birds for his dinner. On second thoughts, I’m not quite sure if it is actually a ferret, perhaps it is a weasel or stoat instead? If anyone knows the finer points of mustelids, please feel free to let us know.

DSCF3567 Watch out for those teeth.

Adding to the gamekeeper theme is the head of a large stag hanging above the doorway in the adjacent bar. Not everyone notices him up so high, and the waiter took me there especially so that he could point him out to me. The stag appears to look down his nose at those below as order their drinks at the bar.

DSCF3569 A fine stag head

No comments: