|
“Guests names have been omitted for privacy”
I just wanted to thank you and your staff for the
two recent events which we held at Ascots.
We thoroughly enjoyed both evenings. The food was
great, the service excellent and despite the weather
on the second evening we found the setting to be
perfect. We received tremendous feedback from our
alumni and our clients. I would appreciate if you
could pass on my comments to your team.
*****
I
WOKE up in a terrible mood today. I always forget
that the gardeners come -every other Friday. I was
very rudly reminded of this at 6 a.m. this morning.
It never occurs to them that people maybe sleeping
and maybe they could do a little tranquil gardening
for an hour or so. Why would they care. anyway
because I am sure that they have been up for hours.
But in my case that is the time of day when all the
nice dreams start happening, however today it was
when the night mare began. They always make a
beeline for my bedroom windows as if they are drawn
to them by some invisible, enormous magnet. Then
they start with the electric hedge clippers, the
lawn mower' and anything else (hat they can think of
turning on, that has a huge content of sound
decibels - my reverie is over!
Having accomplished their morning wake up call, they
then disappear and I suppose go and do some tranquil
gardening somewhere else.
They have a very uncanny way of reappearing a couple
of hours later. This usually happens just as I'm
getting out of the shower or about to get dressed.
They are quiet this time, just doing some gentle
weeding under my window. I wonder why?
Then the phone goes, and no matter which phone I
happen to be on, at least three lawn mowers rev up
outside the window to completely deafen me and the'
unfortunate caller. This always sets me off to a
very bad start and the day seemed to continue along
that same vein - until tonight that is.
A .girlfriend had raved to me the other day about
the wonderful dinner that she and her husband had
had at Ascots. I hadn't been to Ascots for
years. In fact the last time that I had gone was to
a large Christmas girls lunch. I can remember hating
the lunch although I can't remember why. I think
maybe because I was put in a corner and not in the
'hubbub of activity where I like to be! Whatever the
reason I haven't been back there since and hadn't
even thought about it until tonight.
I arranged to go with a couple of friends to check
it out and hoped that this dining experience would
bring me out of the funk that I was currently'
undergoing - something that a delicious glass of
Sauvignon Blanc had not managed to achieve! I could
tell right from the minute that we drove in, that I
was going to be very happy. For those of you who
don't know Ascots, it is situated in an old Bermuda
house on Rosemont Avenue. So you have the feeling of
actually going into someone's home to dine. The
driveway and entrance are literally dripping with
the most gorgeous plants, flowers and shrubs, all of
a tropical nature.
We were greeted by Angelo the manager, who showed us
into the bar for a little aperitif and to browse
through the extensive menu. While we were browsing
he brought us an absolutely delicious platter of
hors d'oeuvres which succeeded in titillating the
palate.
They were served as crostini with such toppings as,
lobster salad with sun dried tomatoes, tuna
carpaccio with black olives and slivers of duck with
arugula pesto. We really needed a good half hour
looking at the menu, trying to make our minds up as
to what we were going to have for dinner (when you
go there you'll see). The wonderful selection and
combination of different ingredients with each dish
really makes choosing very difficult. Another case
of wanting everything on the menu.
We must have changed our minds two or three times,
as each time a waiter whisked past us to serve
waiting diners, we decided that we liked the look of
what they were having. I think that in the end we
chose extremely well.
Each dish is so elaborately described that I would
use up all my allocated space for this column just
telling you. So, I shall just give you the gist of
what we had.
I had beef ravioli, which isn't pasta but seared
carpaccio of beef tenderloin. This was filled with a
salsa of seared mushrooms, onions and roasted
artichokes, sitting on a black olive crouton and
then lightly drizzled with roasted pumpkin seed oil
and fresh tomato essence. Of course I've now
described it virtually in its entirety, but you
can't really leave anything out.
The presentation was faultless and, if anything,
very awe inspiring. The beef melted in the mouth,
and the filling every bit as delectable as it was
described on the menu. I was beginning to get very
happy indeed.
My friend Renate raved over her oven baked Bermuda
Fish cake with a light citrus curry sauce and a
timbale of fresh fruit chutney. It was very light
and not being fried you felt as though it wasn't
quite as evil as it could have been (I have been
gazpachoing it up for the previous few days!)
Colin had the Fava Bean Soup, which was served with
a julienne of duck and roasted peppers. Subtle,
delicious and very satisfying was the verdict on
that one.
I was bowled over by my next course which was baked
rack of lamb, with a thyme flavoured vegetable
stuffing on an onion rosti. Once again the meat was
of the highest quality and I was happy to see that
instead of the paltry three cutlets - which is the
norm to serve I think I had at least five.
By this stage I was beginning to feel a bit like a
stuffed vegetable myself. However I had to have a
little taste of the others just so I would know who
had been the wisest selector. It was a toss up
between mine and Renate's. She had chosen roasted
tenderloin of beef This had a lovely black olive
crust, and was served on a bed of sautéed onions' and
char grilled eggplant with a thyme, balsamic cream
sauce - utterly scrumptious.
Colin was feeling a bit guilty that night, due to
rather a severe case of waist expansion and had
opted for a salad. He may as well have indulged
himself wholeheartedly for what was to follow was
about a year's supply of calories for all of us.
Angelo appeared with an enormous platter which
boasted a tasting of every dessert on the menu.
"WOW!" was the only word to come to mind. What a
spectacular sight this was. There was everything
from Chocolate Truffle torte to a walnut meringue
filled with a warm berry compote topped with a
chestnut meringue filled with a warm berry compote
topped with a chestnut Chantilly and an orange
vanilla sauce.
It wasn't until after the dessert that "party time"
got under way. By this time it was about 10.45. I
had just invited a rather lonely looking woman who
was eating on her own to join our table.
She'd been scribbling away during her meal, and I
thought that she must be a writer of some sort. It
turned out that she was a travel writer for a large
Canadian magazine.
So she brought her bottle of wine over and
settled in very nicely. At that point Gary arrived
(he'd come in .on the late American flight) joined
by a pal of his who had been on the same flight.
Angelo thought it might be more conducive for our
little party to retire to the garden. We asked the
only remaining couple still dining if they would
like to join us and they jumped at it like a shot.
So party we did - it was Anita the travel writer's
last night, and she said that this was the crowning
glory to her stay in Bermuda (aided I would think
just slightly by the Merlot that she was consuming!)
The staff at Ascot's couldn't have been more
charming and accommodating, even though we didn't
leave there until gone 1 o 'clock. There has to be a
special mention for Lejla, the waitress, who can
only be described as a real asset to Ascot's, who
has a great sense of fun and professionalism. Need I
say more about Edmund Smith the chef /patron? I
don't think so, just go and see for yourselves if
you haven't done so - you'll be raving too, I know.
I wasn't the designated driver (l never seem to be;
I wonder why?) and we retired to our various abodes,
me having had a complete attitude adjustment thanks
to Ascot's. I retired to bed on a much happier note
than I had upon awakening!
*****
Angelo & Staff,
Many thanks for a fabulous evening. We had a
wonderful dine, good food, nice wine and great
atmosphere. The new look is amazing.
Again Thanks
*****
|
|
