I have before me a receipt from a 2 Michelin Star Restaurant

[Del Lardo]

It was Mrs DLs birthday over the weekend, I had originally planned an overnighter in London taking in a show but the predicted problems with the train services from Kings Cross meant that I decided to go for a last minute change in plans.

Mrs DL is a big fan of food and while I would be happy with a burger and chips from a van she has far better taste (so what's she doing with me ) so given I had budgeted quite a bit of money for the hotel and show I decided that somewhere posh was in order.

Now this was a problem for me as most of the posh places in Cambridge are expensive but not actually that good, I contemplated Restaurant 22 but a friend had been there recently and they ended up going for a Kebab on the way home as the portions were tiny so rapidly running out of time and ideas I gave Midsummer House a call.

Having never been somewhere this posh before I was a bit nervous that I would embarrass myself with some faux pas but the staff were very welcoming and our waiter was very friendly putting us at ease very quickly. At no point did he make us feel inferior and was happy to advise on wine choices and how best to eat some of the food, it was quickly apparent that the food and wine were his passion and not just his job. There was a pretty good mix of people in there from people who were obviously food buffs and went there on a regular basis to couples like Mrs DL & I who were there for a once in a lifetime meal.

Mrs DL chose the food and I chose the wine, the wine for me was a revelation, I'm normally a 3 bottles for £10 from Asda chap so drinking a bottle that would normally buy me 15 was a strange but very enjoyable experience and not wanting to take anything away from the food my favourite part of the meal.

The food itself was fantastic, it's very hard to describe as I think it is the combination of tastes that you wouldn't normally experience and a mere mortal would find impossible to replicate. It's also worth mentioning the staff in the kitchen, I got a glimpse into the kitchen as I walked past and there were at least 9 chefs working flat out to cook for 10 tables, 7 of which only had 2 people.

It was a choice of two set menus and Mrs DL decided we were having the Taste of Midsummer which consisted of.......


Paris Mushrooms, Coffee and Ceps
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Celery, Goats Cheese and Horseradish
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Sautéed Scallop, Bay Leaf and Pigs Trotter
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Sweetbreads, Pistachio, Maple Syrup and Mouli
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Cod and Langoustine
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Pousse Café
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Beef, Bone Marrow, Parsley, Garlic and Onion
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Artisanal Cheese
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Jerusalem Artichoke, Lychee and Rose
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Orange Cheesecake
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Chocolate and Praline


The only course that I was disappointed in was the Orange Cheesecake as I found it a bit bland compared to the rest of the food and it didn't have a biscuit base which is my favourite bit but as a self confessed food heathen I will bow to the better judgement of Mrs DL who loved it (she doesn't like biscuit base).

So in conclusion as I sit here staring at what I can only describe as a terrifying receipt I have to ask myself if it was worth it? The sane, rational part of my brain tells me that spending that amount of money on a meal for two was dumb and I should have gone to somewhere nice and spent the rest on a service for the Mundano but the irrational part of my mind loved the once in a lifetime experience even if it means eating beans/cheese on toast for the next week or so. It's also worth mentioning that in terms of brownie points they are at an all time high though no doubt I will work through them in the next month or so