![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Back from Spain yesterday -- diary to follow.
Today we went to Jamie Oliver's Fifteen for lunch. It's in Westland Place, just off the City Road and only seconds from the Moorfields Mecca that I managed back in 1983.
The warehousey bistro style works well, although the chandeliers looked a fraction out of place.
But I can't question the food. I had a vegetarian "gnocchi" for a starter, although it wasn't what you or I would call gnocchi by traditional standards. Think more fluffy mashed potato, topped with the best parmesan I have ever tasted, with thinly sliced white courgettes.
Jan had a seafood risotto. Fifteen doesn't go by the normal standards these days of "if it's expensive, portions must be small". The portions are definnitely on the generous side. And the dishes are rustic yet sophisticated, which sounds like a contradiction in terms. Basically, what is done, isn't complicated. But it's done from first principles, and it's done with excellent ingredients. And it's done well.
I should have mentioned that the bread which arrived with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (mixed at the table), top class sea salt and ground pepper. All just right.
For the main course I had the traditional scotch rib-eye, with rocket lettuce, topped with grated horseradish, and potatoes boiled in their skins. Just fine. Jan had an immaculate belly of pork with lentils and a spinach topping. Once again, top class, and, unheard of these days, too much!
But I've saved the best for last. First, the waitress knew to let us relax before serving the dessert. Second, they served a milk chocolate and hazelnut cheesecake that was to die for.
One of the advantages of going out with the provfessional cook is that you can figure out "how it's done" (well, Jan can). So, here's the theory from Jan.
The base adds pistachio for some colour. The topping consists of mascarpone and melted milk chocolate (our punt was on Lindt, although possibly Suchard). This is beaten together with a wooden spoon (you can't use an electric whisk or anything like that, because it shatters the texture), quickly but vigorously until smooth. The chocolate, as it sets, creates the texture. And it's the texture as well as the taste that is importannt here. Perhaps I was lucky, because this was, well, to die for.
And, finally, the coffee. Here it is:
Probably one of my top five meals ever, and the cheesecake was definitely the best ever. Top class service as well. The restaurant adds 12.5%, which would normally irritate, but since the cost was still reasonable, it seems chirlish to moan about that.
++++++++++++++
And it was nice to start the day recovering from a $150 downswing to $200 up in less than half an hour. One was QQ vs QJ on a QJ4 two-suited flop. When the money went in on the turn, opponent was actually drawing dead. To rub it in, a Jack came on the river.
Of more interest was this hand:
Texas Hold'em NL $0.50/$1
Table (50 bb min)
Seat 1: Antenas ($65.65 in chips)
Seat 2: Jansoto ($30.80 in chips) DEALER
Seat 3: CHTIDAN59 ($76.13 in chips)
Seat 4: Misha001 ($92.40 in chips)
Seat 5: Weiselzelle ($84.50 in chips)
Seat 6: Villain ($126.90 in chips)
Seat 7: HannibalOfChina ($139.85 in chips)
Seat 8: Hero ($111.40 in chips)
Seat 10: DiceClay10 ($66.15 in chips)
CHTIDAN59: Post SB $0.50
Misha001: Post BB $1.00
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero [T♠ J♠]
Weiselzelle: Fold
Villain: Call $1.00
HannibalOfChina: Fold
Hero: Raise (NF) $3.00
Pokertracker miners often fail to differentiate between raise first in and raise after a limp. This is mainly a "controlling raise" (I want to play, and I don't want the Button, SB or BB putting in a 7x raise after five limpers). You have to vary it with with slightly higher raises with the same holding, so as not to give away your hand by the size of your raise. However, since nearly all my preflop raises are now 3x, it's camouflaged quite well.
DiceClay10: Fold
Antenas: Fold
Jansoto: Fold
CHTIDAN59: Fold
Misha001: Fold
Villain: Call $2.00
*** FLOP *** [6♠ Q♠ K♠]
It doesn't come much better than the second-nuts with an open-ended straight flush draw. Gone are the days of fearing the nuts against any but the ultimate rock.
Villain: Check
Hero: Bet $3.75
Half-pot bet, following the "willing to attract volatility" line. I want to push an image of AK with the Ace of spades.
Villain: Raise (NF) $18.75
If opponent has Ax of spades, I'm probably going broke here. But opponents range is wide enough to leave me in front
Hero: Call $15.00
Maintaining my line of AK with Ace of Spades
*** TURN *** [9◊;]
Villain: Bet $45.00
Opponent is now committed. Time to bet my hand.
Hero: Allin $89.65
Villain: Call $44.65
*** RIVER *** [3♠]
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $221.30 Rake $3.00
Villain: Shows [K♣; Q◊;]
Hero: wins $221.30.
Today we went to Jamie Oliver's Fifteen for lunch. It's in Westland Place, just off the City Road and only seconds from the Moorfields Mecca that I managed back in 1983.
The warehousey bistro style works well, although the chandeliers looked a fraction out of place.
But I can't question the food. I had a vegetarian "gnocchi" for a starter, although it wasn't what you or I would call gnocchi by traditional standards. Think more fluffy mashed potato, topped with the best parmesan I have ever tasted, with thinly sliced white courgettes.
Jan had a seafood risotto. Fifteen doesn't go by the normal standards these days of "if it's expensive, portions must be small". The portions are definnitely on the generous side. And the dishes are rustic yet sophisticated, which sounds like a contradiction in terms. Basically, what is done, isn't complicated. But it's done from first principles, and it's done with excellent ingredients. And it's done well.
I should have mentioned that the bread which arrived with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (mixed at the table), top class sea salt and ground pepper. All just right.
For the main course I had the traditional scotch rib-eye, with rocket lettuce, topped with grated horseradish, and potatoes boiled in their skins. Just fine. Jan had an immaculate belly of pork with lentils and a spinach topping. Once again, top class, and, unheard of these days, too much!
But I've saved the best for last. First, the waitress knew to let us relax before serving the dessert. Second, they served a milk chocolate and hazelnut cheesecake that was to die for.
One of the advantages of going out with the provfessional cook is that you can figure out "how it's done" (well, Jan can). So, here's the theory from Jan.
The base adds pistachio for some colour. The topping consists of mascarpone and melted milk chocolate (our punt was on Lindt, although possibly Suchard). This is beaten together with a wooden spoon (you can't use an electric whisk or anything like that, because it shatters the texture), quickly but vigorously until smooth. The chocolate, as it sets, creates the texture. And it's the texture as well as the taste that is importannt here. Perhaps I was lucky, because this was, well, to die for.
And, finally, the coffee. Here it is:
Probably one of my top five meals ever, and the cheesecake was definitely the best ever. Top class service as well. The restaurant adds 12.5%, which would normally irritate, but since the cost was still reasonable, it seems chirlish to moan about that.
++++++++++++++
And it was nice to start the day recovering from a $150 downswing to $200 up in less than half an hour. One was QQ vs QJ on a QJ4 two-suited flop. When the money went in on the turn, opponent was actually drawing dead. To rub it in, a Jack came on the river.
Of more interest was this hand:
Texas Hold'em NL $0.50/$1
Table (50 bb min)
Seat 1: Antenas ($65.65 in chips)
Seat 2: Jansoto ($30.80 in chips) DEALER
Seat 3: CHTIDAN59 ($76.13 in chips)
Seat 4: Misha001 ($92.40 in chips)
Seat 5: Weiselzelle ($84.50 in chips)
Seat 6: Villain ($126.90 in chips)
Seat 7: HannibalOfChina ($139.85 in chips)
Seat 8: Hero ($111.40 in chips)
Seat 10: DiceClay10 ($66.15 in chips)
CHTIDAN59: Post SB $0.50
Misha001: Post BB $1.00
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to Hero [T♠ J♠]
Weiselzelle: Fold
Villain: Call $1.00
HannibalOfChina: Fold
Hero: Raise (NF) $3.00
Pokertracker miners often fail to differentiate between raise first in and raise after a limp. This is mainly a "controlling raise" (I want to play, and I don't want the Button, SB or BB putting in a 7x raise after five limpers). You have to vary it with with slightly higher raises with the same holding, so as not to give away your hand by the size of your raise. However, since nearly all my preflop raises are now 3x, it's camouflaged quite well.
DiceClay10: Fold
Antenas: Fold
Jansoto: Fold
CHTIDAN59: Fold
Misha001: Fold
Villain: Call $2.00
*** FLOP *** [6♠ Q♠ K♠]
It doesn't come much better than the second-nuts with an open-ended straight flush draw. Gone are the days of fearing the nuts against any but the ultimate rock.
Villain: Check
Hero: Bet $3.75
Half-pot bet, following the "willing to attract volatility" line. I want to push an image of AK with the Ace of spades.
Villain: Raise (NF) $18.75
If opponent has Ax of spades, I'm probably going broke here. But opponents range is wide enough to leave me in front
Hero: Call $15.00
Maintaining my line of AK with Ace of Spades
*** TURN *** [9◊;]
Villain: Bet $45.00
Opponent is now committed. Time to bet my hand.
Hero: Allin $89.65
Villain: Call $44.65
*** RIVER *** [3♠]
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $221.30 Rake $3.00
Villain: Shows [K♣; Q◊;]
Hero: wins $221.30.
