While I've been showering you with random photos, we've been having a busy couple of days here. Or, more accurately, evenings.
Dave's birthday was Thursday, and on that day we stayed home and had store-bought birthday cake. I even scrounged up some candles from the depths of our kitchen cabinets! I gave him his present, the fun socks I bought for him at Selfridge's.
But the real celebration came the next night, when we went to Claude Bosi at Bibendum. Bosi was the chef who created Hibiscus, a London restaurant that Dave and I always intended to visit, but it closed before we had a chance. When I did a search for a birthday outing, I realized Bosi has taken over at the storied restaurant Bibendum in Kensington. You may remember (but probably not) that Dave and I visited Bibendum right after we moved to London. We were disappointed in it then, but with Bosi at the helm it seemed time to give it another chance.
The restaurant's decor has changed slightly, as you'd expect after 12 years. But the building -- which used to be the London headquarters of Michelin tires -- is still a grand icon, with its big stained glass windows featuring the Michelin man. (His real name is Monsieur Bibendum, hence the name of the restaurant. I once helped win a bar quiz by knowing the answer to that question!)
Anyway, the dinner was wonderful -- so much better than our last time in that building. I'd recommend Claude Bosi at Bibendum to anyone.
Then, last night, Dave cooked dinner for several of our soon to be ex-colleagues: music teacher Gordon and his wife Donna, and my supervisor in the library, Karen, and her husband, Rod, a retiring science teacher. (Donna also works in education but not at our school, and she's not retiring -- yet.)
He made a chilled vegetable gazpacho with burrata, followed by Jacques Pépin's Chicken Jardinière and an apple tarte Tatin for dessert. (I can't even tell you how long it took me to find all those little accent marks on my keyboard just now. Argh!) We had G&Ts and then champagne in the garden to start, followed by dinner in the dining room with Olga snoring loudly in the corner -- when she wasn't begging for chicken, that is.
I ran two loads of dishes last night, then got up this morning and spent about an hour putting the kitchen back together. Dave cooks like a tornado, and afterwards it's a FEMA disaster zone in there. Now the dishwasher is running its third load, and there's light at the end of the tunnel. At least we're all well-fed!
A meal out and a meal in!
ReplyDeleteThat is a fantastic building..good to see it appreciated and used well
What a stunning building and meal. Happy birthday to Dave. It sounds like he cooks like SG.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know Michelin Man had a name. How cool but I'll never remember his name for a trivia quiz. I'll just say Monsieur B...ah, I forget. Maybe that will be enough for me to win. Michelin Man is terrific and there's some nice history to the restaurant.
ReplyDeleteYour meal sounds wonderful. I wish I felt comfortable enough to visit such a place.
And then a nice dinner at home as well.
I am pleased you follow my mantra. If it won't fit in the dishwasher this time, it will with the next load.
Sounds like a wonderful couple of days. Your colleagues must be very impressed at being served by a professional chef!
ReplyDeleteI never knew the Michelin Man by any other name than Michelin Man.
ReplyDeleteBoth your meals sound delicious, though I always like the entertaining at home more, except for the cleanup!
Glen used to have a tire shop and he carried Michelins so of course I know Mr. Bibendum! I'm not sure I realized he had his own restaurant though! Ha!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fancy presentation of that caviar, et al. I would eat that for sure!
Dave sounds like an amazing chef but honestly- someone needs to teach that man to do a little cleaning as he goes. Either that, or you guys need to hire someone to come in and do the after-work. But I suppose that part of your birthday gift to him was putting the kitchen to rights after that beautiful meal he made.
Sounds like quite a delightful and wonderful birthday celebration for Dave. He really cooks like a true chef. Makes me want to try something new to make for dinner.
ReplyDeleteWhat a posh couple of days! Sounds like Dave got to do his favorite things - eat grand food he didn't cook, and then cook grand food.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a perfect birthday weekend. Lots of great food. Your post brought back lots of memories for me. I ate at Bibendum way back in the early 90's on one of my trips to London. That photo of the dining room looks exactly as I remember it. The furniture is probably different but that window is exactly as I remember it. Thanks for the memories.
ReplyDeleteDave's dinner menu sounds just about perfect. I bet it was delicious. Well worth the tornado in the kitchen.
Try as I may, I can't seem to get Rick to clean up as he goes along when he's cooking! Sounds like Dave is much the same way. My friend and her husband have a good system. One week, one is in charge of it all -- shopping, cooking, kitchen clean-up. Then the next week, the other. It works great for them. So far, I haven't been able to implement such a scheme!
ReplyDeleteI think I would rather have Dave's meal and your lovely evening at home with friends than the restaurant, though that sounds good, too. But home? Perfection! Happy Birthday to Dave!
A belated happy birthday to Dave! Sounds like a perfect couple of evenings to feed his chef soul :)
ReplyDeleteI was aware of Michelin restaurants in Europe but the only thing I think of when I hear "Bibendum" is the Michelin tire plants we have here in NS! That company has given many, many families a decent income here.
I use to have a friend who sold tires, so that little bit of trivia got stashed in my brain over forty years ago. I probably haven't thought of Bibendum since then! Love the stained glass of him!
ReplyDeleteOh wow you have been busy!!!
ReplyDeleteIt sound like Daves birthday was a smash hit and I am so glad that you were able to enjoy the dinner!
You are so brave. I couldn't eat all of the things that you described. Once I was moving to a new city and place. My boyfriend at the time went ahead of me to get our house ready. It was late when I arrived and I had missed dinner thinking I would get something to eat at the new place.
Well that city closed with the chickens and the only place to eat was a convenience store with a grill, but they closed at 9:00pm everynight! It was after 10:00 when I arrived and my boyfriend made me a sandwich. I took one bite and swallowed but mid sandwich I started gagging.
Needless to say someone gave him some roasted duck and it was spoiled. I celebrated moving day with food poisoning and have never been brave since, considering that Athe town I lived in was the Duck and Rice capital of the world, People tried giving us ducks all of the time and I once went to my car after eveningrk and someone had put 20 dead ducks in my car!!!
Didn't have the heart to just throw them away in the dumpster I drove around town a couple of hours trying to give them away and later begging people to take them. I moved back to Texas soon after that experience and live dangerouly thru your blog lol as you really are a brave man.
Have a fantastic day or evening.
Oh I forgot to ask how Dave liked his fun socks? And what a wonderful dinner party for your collegues. I know that it is a bittersweet time to say goodbye yet at the same time to wish them the best in their newest chapter of their journey.
ReplyDeleteThe Michelin Man is bittersweet for me as well. When my dad was passing, the doctor said that they were giving him steroids and that not to worry when we saw him that he looked like the Micheline Man. I always think of that when I see or hear of him but I enjoyed the stained glass and yur dining experience.
Happy Belated Birthday to Dave and let the fun continue. xxx
Honestly, I would much prefer Dave's meal to the restaurant one although I do enjoy going out and trying exotic dishes at fancy restaurants, as the budget allows and for special occasions. (like Dave's birthday!) Dave cooks like my older daughter who dirties EVERY pan in my kitchen and necessitates several loads in the dishwasher. :)
ReplyDeleteYour dinner out sounds very good but I believe I would prefer Dave's amazing meal. I have said before how fortunate you are to live in London. But you are even more fortunate to have a spectacular chef in your home. Happy birthday to Dave and compliments to Chef Dave.
ReplyDeleteGZ: It IS fantastic. I believe it's listed.
ReplyDeleteMitchell: Dave learned to cook at a cooking school where someone else did all the cleanup. As a result he's completely oblivious about that aspect!
Andrew: Although quite fancy, it did feel pretty comfortable. A guy at the next table was wearing a t-shirt and shorts! Even I was surprised by that!
Boud: They were all very happy with the meal. Chef Dave came through!
Bob: I didn't either until I moved here. I'm not sure how frequently his name was ever used, particularly in the states.
Ms Moon: Exactly. I figure it's the least I can do after he goes to all the trouble of shopping and cooking.
Robin: He was trained as a chef -- he went to culinary school. So he does know what he's doing!
Bug: Yes, food is Dave's "love language"!
Sharon: I remember you saying you went to Bibendum years ago! You'll be happy to know it's much better than it used to be. :)
Jeanie: Alternating weeks is great if both parties are good cooks. I can keep myself alive but I'm not really a good cook -- so it makes sense for us to divide the labor this way.
Jenny-O: I didn't realize Michelin was a big employer in NS!
Kelly: I guess his name must have been used in the states as well as Europe. Until I read about the London restaurant a couple of decades ago, I knew him simply as "The Michelin Man."
Beth: That is the CRAZIEST story! Someone put 20 dead ducks in your car?!?! Do you think they were coming back drunk from a hunting trip and mistook your car for their own? They probably came back later and said, "HEY! WHERE ARE MY DUCKS?!"
Margaret: Yeah, I always wonder why Dave feels he has to use EVERY SINGLE DISH in the kitchen! LOL
Catalyst: Believe me, I know you're right -- I'm fortunate all around.