Wilson's: Mr Julian Humphreys N
FAR afield I have wandered this week from Shepherds Bush to Spitalfields, with much more interesting results than my last foray. I arranged to meet our long suffer- ing but immensely cheerful chief sub-editor Christopher Howse at Wilson's (236 Blythe Road, London W14; telephone: 603 7267).
This is a nice high-ceilinged ground floor establishment, spacious and airy with the door wide open and welcoming, well sepa- rated tables and very pleasant staff. The owner, Bob Wilson, is a fine character whose mother kept a tripe stall in Barnsley market, which augurs well. I was pleased to observe that a young couple were allowed to bring their tiny baby in a perambulator to their table, giving a Mediterranean feel.
Christopher commenced with an excel- lent and generous slice of rabbit terrine, served with a home-made wild rowan jelly — full marks for that exquisite conserve. My choice was fresh noodles with oysters, smoked bacon and the oyster liquor, which was interesting but had a musty flavour.
I followed this up with one of the week's specials in rather the same vein — fish and shellfish steamed with samphire and dill, accompanied by a crab and cognac sauce. This would have been very original and good with its bed of samphire, but unfortu- nately it was woefully overcooked. I hope this was merely a slip of the day. The crab sauce was delicious. Christopher was win- ning hands down, his red beard twitching with pleasure as he tucked into a succulent helping of roast breast of goose, beautifully cooked, just pinkish and served with the traditional sage and onion stuffing and apple sauce, as opposed to a port and wild mushroom sauce also on offer.
Very good puddings are presented, but there was a slight hiatus when the cream wouldn't whip due to the thundery weath- er. A runner had to be sent out for more. However, we didn't require any, as Christ- opher had a perfect dark chocolate and orange mousse and I had an outrageous sweet tartlette of walnuts and maple syrup fudge, sitting in strong coffee sauce very, very rich; I could not finish it.
We shared a selection of cheeses at an extra £1 supplement, then were given an entire plunger jug of coffee which was left on the table. With drinks beforehand and a bottle of Vina Real Rioja 1976 at £11 the bill came to £58.75 including VAT and service. Lunch is served Monday to Friday, dinner, Monday to Saturday and there is also a traditional Sunday lunch of three courses for £13.75.
Beneath the great Hawksmoor Christ Church in Spitalfields, at 25 Fournier Street, built in 1726, dwelt a family of Huguenot silk merchants. In its panelled and candlelit rooms warmed by open fires dinner is cooked and served in the manner of the 18th century by Mr Julian Hum- phreys on any day at eight o'clock of the evening, or when convenient by arrange- ment. (Telephone 377 9312 — but not to be used lightly.) You book for the entire dining room and must consist of six to ten people. The house is enchanting and you are free to roam. There are chickens in the little yard (ready for the pot?) and a tiny garden for a balmy evening, which ours wasn't. We were a party of six including the good Canon my uncle. We were served a milk punch in the anteroom before dinner, rather too sweet for my taste but much enjoyed by the others.
For our 18th-century dinner we started with a great tureen of garden soup, a thin and pure vegetable liquor with seasonal vegetables afloat, which could have done with a better stock, being fairly tasteless. Next was a really splendid Cod in a shrimp sauce, tasting as if it had just leaped from the waves. Arranged on a great charger, it was as good as it could be. Much applause.
This was followed by Chikins [sic] in brandy wine. Another vast dish of carved chickens (from the yard?), covered in a brandy and white wine sauce thickened with egg yolks accompanied by wonderful rather large forcemeat balls pungent with the real cayenne pepper and a simple mound of comforting mashed potatoes.
Summer Pudding bleeding through its coat of whipped cream appeared with a Chocolate Pye to end all chocolate pies, the bottom crust made of crushed almonds, butter, sugar and egg-whites, hard and crisp with a strong chocolate cream atop. Magnificent. Fresh fruits, stilton and cof- fee ended this amazing repast.
We drank endless entre-deux-mers throughout, being most kindly served by a man in 18th-century kit. The price was £28 per head, but the wine was a gift from the house. What a place for a plot. Bravo Mr Julian Humphreys.
Jennifer Paterson
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