As I've written about previously, the end of November marked a two-week holiday in Taiwan for me and the wife (at that time, 'the fiancée'.) To say I was terrified would be an exaggeration. To say I was worried would be an understatement. I was meeting her family and closest friends for the first time and was not sure what to expect.
What I got was a stunning introduction to a phenomenally welcoming culture and a reassurance in the family I would shortly be joining. They were supremely friendly and hospitable and I loved the whole trip. As an aside, I do recommend a holiday in Taipei for anyone wanting to experience Asia for the first time. It's a wonderful city.
There will be more on this trip in as London-restaurant-friendly a way as I can manage over the next few pieces, but before we left on the Sunday evening, there was a small matter of Quo Vadis resurrecting their 50% off deal through Toptable. Eating there previously, we'd had such a good time we allowed ourselves one final hurrah before a weekend of packing and nervous preparation.
It was an early Friday evening affair, where diners generally want to be in and out with a minimum of fuss, whilst still being able to enjoy their dinner. They had also put a turnaround time on the table, so there was little time to waste. Bread and butter came and were lovely. Orange juice came and was sent back because it tasted off and the new glass wasn't much better.
Starters were seafood, main courses were meat and desserts were traditional. If there's one thing we learned last time we were here, it was that this is how you do it at Quo Vadis. Oysters, according to the wife, were "just okay". She knows a thing or two about hard-shelled seafood and on tasting them I had to agree. Not bad, but nowhere near the best.
My crab on toast was a fleeting glance into what might have been. Beautifully presented, light pink meat on top of some thick toasted bread was lovely in patches but remained bland in the main, under-seasoned and overcooked. Frustrating and, maybe worse, just dull.
Main courses looked set to shake any worries we had since they sounded utterly terrific. Middlewhite pork chop with mash is a dish that should be simple, elegant and outrageously big-tasting. In the event, this actually surpassed expectation. It was a well-grilled chop, reminiscent of perfectly barbecued meat, along with a gorgeously caramelised fatty fillet. It was truly excellent.
My choice was roast partridge with curly kale and fondant potato. A match made in heaven, you'd think, but there were problems all over the shop with this one. The kale was in some sort of piping hot ragout in a metal pot. It was too hot, too watery and a sight too out of place on the side of a whole partridge. The bird itself was too pungent, getting up the nose instantly and not going away. It was stuffed with watercress which made it look interesting and colourful, but added little in terms of taste. Mind you, that only kept it in line with the fondant potato, which seemed more for show than anything else.
It had been hit and miss so far, but we expected desserts to perk things up a little. A crème brulee was a shot of sweet smoothness as every custard-sugar pudding should be, but it didn't wow us in any meaningful or memorable way.
The sticky toffee pudding, however, was a delight. Kept simple with drizzled syrup and a scoop of ice cream on top, this is exactly what an English pudding should be. Nothing too fancy except delicious flavours and perfect texture. This was such a heartening dessert it restored my faith in a pudding which has been ruined and bastardised in the worst ways by kitchens everywhere.
And that, all of a sudden, was that. There is no denying that Quo Vadis the second time around was nowhere near as good as the first. The two stand-outs were the pork and the toffee pudding, but all else was short of the mark. It may be that Quo Vadis is just on the slide, or it may be that it was a busy Friday night. Either way, I'll not be leaping to go back, even if I see half off the menu again.
Quo Vadis
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