Coming the (Not So) Raw Prawn at Monty's on Montpelier

I recently had my first experience of Monty’s on Montpelier, courtesy of my partner, who appeared to be trying to get into my (very exclusive) good books. Being whisked off to a surprise romantic dinner at a swanky restaurant is always a pleasant (if rare) experience, but never fear, dear reader; it was tough but I still managed to find a few things to whinge about.

Firstly, the service: there was too much of it. Not five minutes after one knowledgeable and competent waiter had taken our order, than a smiling and enthusiastic waitress appeared by our table, eager to do the same. When I explained that this requirement had already been fulfilled, she was overly apologetic, even blurting out that she felt like a bit of an idiot. Not to worry, for as I reassured her, it was better to have too much service than not enough.

Secondly, the food: it was so delicious I ate more of it than was strictly necessary, resulting in a slightly uncomfortable bloated feeling, and an unprecedented readout on my digital bathroom scales the next day. Admittedly, a tart filled with duck confit and pate was probably not the best choice as far as my waistline was concerned. What sort of parents give their daughter a set of scales for Christmas anyway? But I digress… My partner’s steak was one of the best he’s eaten, which is saying something, since he is quick (and usually correct) to accuse most restaurant steak of being inferior to his own. Unfortunately it was served topped with a large and obnoxious prawn, which was little more than a novelty and did nothing to enhance the dish. The chef would be well advised to ditch the crustacean garnish and let the steak stand alone, which it was perfectly capable of doing.

Finally, the management: towards the end of our evening the hostess approached our table for a little chat, acknowledging that it was our first visit to Monty’s, introducing herself and her husband the chef, enquiring about the suitability of our meal and expressing her desire that we would visit again. She was so lovely I was reluctant to mention the prawn, and in fact, felt obliged to give them a generous tip on top of the bill, which was already rather hefty after my partner had dabbled in the extensive wine list.

So, in summary, if you’re cashed-up, it’s a special occasion and you want to be scraping the bottom of the barrel for a good whinge, you could do worse than Monty’s on Montpelier.