Restaurant: Teach uí Bhriain

We decided to go to Teach uí Bhriain tonight, for a change. I wondered what kind of service we'd get on New Year's Eve - well, I found out..

We arrived early enough to find easy parking. Unfortunately, the waiting staff of two were asleep on their feet. We never had a menu brought to us, and picked up a menu from a side table - which turned out to be the lunch menu. Well, close enough. They do good garlic mushrooms here as a starter, so we ordered those, followed by southern fried chicken strips for me and salmon for my mother, as usual.

We were brought a basket of bread. I don't think much to their brown bread, but did have a couple of pieces of white. Buttering it was a bit trying, mind, given that we hadn't been brought any side plates. She did finally realise this, when she plonked down my starter on top of my knife and fork, displacing both them and the empty butter wrapper. "Oh, do you want an extra plate?" "Yes, please." And she brought a side plate, from just around the corner.

Now, we were to share the starter, but my mother still didn't have a plate, and asked for one, next time the server was passing. After several minutes, she brought a full-size plate - my mother explained that she'd wanted a small plate. It was so long in coming that I took myself around the corner to where the cutlery and side plates are stored, beside the bar, and got her a side plate. After several more minutes, the other server returned with the same full-size plate, saying that there were no more small plates left in the kitchen. O good grief. As I explained to her, it's all right - I got one from just around the corner.

Fortunately, the owner arrived not long after, and the speed and quality of service mysteriously improved. The fire was also lit - maybe he hogs all the firelighters, I dunno. The meal was ok, although the chicken strips, while well cooked and plentiful, and coated in breadcrumbs, were not southern fried, as promised. Neither do I like their mash - after a mouthful to confirm it was tasteless, I left it.

Naturally, we weren't given a dessert menu, but after we got one from the side table, they were quick to take our order, and quick to deliver it. And both were good. I've had better service here before - avoid on occasions like New Year's Eve, I think.

And so we edge ever closer to my return to London on Sunday, and my trip to the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse on Monday to see Winter's Tales, a candlelit reading of the short stories of Daphne du Maurier, including The Birds, on which the Hitchcock film was based. Can't wait!