Had to run an errand for my mother in Ennis on Thursday - and while I was there, I got a yen to eat at Jade Cottage again. So I did! As usual, they weren't busy - the table next to the one I had last time was occupied, so he showed me to the back of the room instead, where I was seated on a very fetching, gold-effect bench. It is interesting how most of the tables are hidden from view from most of the other tables, with careful positioning of screens and such.
I had the same starter as before - but, mindful of how heavy I found their version of General Tso's chicken, I changed my main, and had "sweet chilli chicken". Which was good, if a little fiery - I am getting closer to my perfect dish here though, and I'll try their honey chicken next time. Had a half bottle of wine, which she offered to present in an ice bucket, and some chocolate ice cream to finish. With the same smiling service, this restaurant is always an excellent choice!
Well, my friend got back to me - they were away in the middle of the week, back that day, so the most sensible thing to do seemed to be to visit yesterday, which I arranged with her. Happily, my boss was also fine with me taking the week as holiday. Long, long drive down there though - with the usual heavy traffic in Charleville. Still, traffic jams are great for having a look around - I hadn't seen this before!
And it was terrific to see her, and see how her boys have grown! It's over two years, what with everything, since we've seen each other. I tried out location sharing on my phone, so she could tell when I was near - she has a Huawei though, I think she said, and it was hard for her to get Google working. She did in the end, mind, and it's a cool feature!
I broke the long drive back with a stop in Limerick, and was just about hungry enough to eat there. And again, the nearest was China-Ki. First thing, I needed the loo - which turns out to be just inside the door. In fact, the door to the toilets leads into a little corridor, with the various different categories marked on doors along it. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the lights were off in the toilets - and I hadn't brought my phone, whose light I could have used. Well, I could see from the light coming through the pane of glass in the corridor door that the first toilet door was the Gents, the next the accessible toilet. The Ladies was around the corner - probably - but it was in complete darkness, and I had no hope of telling which was which. So I just went back to the accessible toilet.
Dark inside as well - but there was an emergency light, and I felt around until I found the door lock: locked the door. Located the toilet, the handbasin, and the hand dryer - could just about see them in the dim light. Did my business satisfactorily. And then could not find the flush! Feeling around, I felt something dangling - so I pulled it. Pity it was the alarm - which sounded all through the restaurant! I managed to get the door unlocked, and made my escape.. the ultra-calm waitress tended to me most solicitously, bringing a jug of water before she went to investigate, and eventually turned it off. I have to wonder though - was there, in fact, a light switch somewhere that I missed (in the darkness)?
I had the chicken fillet rolls - dunno what it was, but I didn't enjoy them today, and don't think I'll have them again. Looking back over previous posts, I discovered I had liked the beef szechuan here - but I didn't feel like anything spicy, so went for General Tso's chicken again. Couldn't finish it though - left a large portion of it uneaten. Again, will change my order the next time! At least this time, when she brought me wine, she had the good sense to pour it all out at once! and when she brought a top-up, to pour it straight into the same glass. Again, service was extremely attentive - with no-one else in the restaurant, I was plagued with people not too subtly popping around the partition to see whether I was done yet..
Anyway, I'll fly back to London tomorrow. And on Monday, I'm off to The Corn is Green, at the National. I see this was also a film, which I remember seeing on tv, years ago.. Bette Davis played a teacher in a deprived area in the 1930s, who had one promising student whose lot in life she sought to improve, despite his humble circumstances..
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